RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JANUARY 18, 2019 — Johnny Trotter’s world champion Bodacious Eagle led the awards with the 2019 World Champion title as Ruidoso Downs-raced horses and Ruidoso Downs horsemen shined when the 2018 champions were announced in Oklahoma City on Thursday evening.

The other horses who raced at Ruidoso Downs and earned championships are champion three-year-old Hotstepper, champion two-year-old Flash And Roll, champion three-year-old colt Kvn Corona, champion two-year-old gelding Apocalyptical Jess and champion two-year-old colt Flying Cowboy 123.

Trotter, owner of Bodacious Eagle and 2018 champion aged mare One Sweet Racy (second in the 2017 $1,365,908 All American Derby (G1) at Ruidoso Downs), is the champion owner. Blane Wood’s training stable has long been based at Ruidoso Downs during the summer and he is the Blane Schvaneveldt champion trainer. Ruidoso Downs rider Cody Jensen is the champion jockey. Jensen is a member of the Ruidoso Downs’ Racehorse Hall of Fame.

Trainer Sleepy Gilbreath, another Ruidoso Downs’ Racehorse Hall of Fame inductee, was honored with the Gordon Crone Special Achievement Award.

Bodacious Eagle, purchased by Trotter for $8,000 as an embryo, won the $200,000 All American Gold Cup (G1) at Ruidoso Downs. The gelding was second by a head in the $50,000 Mr Jet Moore Handicap. He was trained at Ruidoso Downs by Mike Joiner.

The son of One Famous Eagle is also the champion aged horse and champion aged gelding.

Hotstepper — owned by R.D. Hubbard, Butch Southway, Johnny Cope and Ray Willis — won the $1,238,655 All American Derby and qualified for the $801,564 Rainbow Derby. Another gelding by One Famous Eagle, Hotstepper is trained by Gilbreath.

Scott Bryant’s Flash And Roll, a daughter of First Moonflash, made her first three career starts at Ruidoso Downs for trainer Joiner. She was the 9-5 favorite in the $1,000,000 Ruidoso Futurity and never challenged after a poor start. She then won her trial to the $1,000,000 Rainbow Futurity (G1), however her time was not fast enough to reach the finals.

Flash And Roll is also the champion two-year-old filly.

Keith Nellesen’s Kvn Corona, the 2017 champion two-year-old colt, made his Ruidoso Down’s debut last summer. The son of Corona Cartel trained by Paul Jones won his Ruidoso Derby trial and then was never a factor in the $759,197 Ruidoso Derby (G1) at 17-10 odds.

Bill Robbins’ Apocalyptical Jess, trained by Wood, won the $3,000,000 All American Futurity (G1) by three quarters of a length. The son of Apollitical Jess son won his All American Futurity trial by more than three lengths.

Paragon Farms LLC’s Flying Cowboy 123, another son of Apollitical Jess, began his career at Ruidoso Downs and was second in the Rainbow Futurity in his third career start for trainer Wood. The half-brother to 2011 world champion Cold Cash 123 won his Rainbow Futurity trial by an expanding one-and-three-quarter-lengths.

These 2018 champions, except for the retired Kvn Corona, are expected to return to Ruidoso Downs this summer. The racing season begins on May 10.