Racing


One Corona Eagle Is Top Qualifier For $324,300 Grade 2 West Texas Futurity At Sunland Park
One Corona Eagle, under champion jockey Ricky Ramiez, posting the fastest qualifying time for the Grade 2 $324,300 West Texas Futurity Friday afternoon at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino.

© Coady Photography
One Corona Eagle Is Top Qualifier For $324,300 Grade 2 West Texas Futurity At Sunland Park

SUNLAND PARK, NM—APRIL 12, 2019—One Corona Eagle was the top qualifier for the $324,300 West Texas Futurity following 12 trials heats at 300 yards at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino on Friday.

The two-year-old gelded son of leading sire One Famous Eagle took charge early in the 8th trial heat and held off Apollitical J Wild to win by three-quarter lengths in a time of :15.076 seconds.

The precocious runner is owned by Gene Bradley and Tod Bradley of Dimmitt, Texas. AQHA past-president Johnny Trotter bred the $70,000 Heritage Place Yearling Sale graduate in Texas from the Corona Cartel mare Little Rebas Corona.

Return of Brown Eyes, a full brother to last year’s West Texas Futurity winner Suze Returns, was an explosive winner of the 7th trial in a time of :15.089 seconds. Jose Luis Muela is the trainer.

The gelded son of last year's #2 leading thrid-crop sire High Rate Of Return was purchased by owners Diamond Racing Stables and U S Alliance Logistics LLC for $35,500 at the 2018 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. Flag Ranch LLC bred the sorrel colt in Oklahoma from the Mr Eye Opener mare Brown Eye Suze.

Last season's leading sire of money earners Apollitical Jess was the only sire with multiple qualifiers, getting 4th fastest the aforementioned Apollitical J Wild and 10th fastest KJ Mucho Macho Man. First-crop sire Wagon Tales sired 6th fastest qualifier Wagon Tales Promies.

The 61st running of the finals to the West Texas Futurity will be run on Sunday, May 5. The lucky winner will take a paycheck valued at $152,421.

CLICK HERE for a complete list of West Texas Futurity finalists, times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys.

The second 10 fastest qualifiers from the West Texas Futurity(G2) trials are preferred invites for the $50,000 West Texas Juvenile Invitational. For a list of those horses CLICK HERE.

Live racing resumes on Saturday at 12:50 p.m. There will be 11 trials for the $393,000 New Mexican Spring Futurity at 300 yards.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Live racing resumes on Sunday at 12:50 p.m. (MDT).