Racing


Bay Eagle Glory Garners Top Mark In EVD Derby Trials
Grade 1-placed Bay Eagle Glory posted the fastest time for the $75,000-added EVD Derby at Evangeline Downs Saturday night after winning the final trial.

© Coady Photography
Bay Eagle Glory Garners Top Mark In EVD Derby Trials

OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 28, 2015—Bay Eagle Glory bounced off a trouble start in the Texas Classic Derby trials in October to score a half-length win in the last of five trials and set the top qualifying time of :19.892 seconds for the $75,000-added EVD Derby at Evangeline Downs Saturday night.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will return to the Louisiana racetrack on closing night, Saturday December 19th and vie for the winners' share of the purse in the 400-yard finale.

Ridden by Manuel Gutierrez the bay colt earned a 91-speed index into an 8 mph headwind.

A very close runner-up in the $860,519 Texas Classic Futurity(G1) at Lone Star Park a year ago, Bay Eagle Glory races for owner Julio Rodriguez and trainer Eduardo Morales. Johnny Trotter bred the graded stakes-placed son of leading sire One Famous Eagle in Texas. Out of the Mr Eye Opener mare Eye Of Glory, Bay Eagle Glory has won two of nine career starts and earned over $220,000.

Homar Garza saddled Ww Showtime to a head win in the first trial to get the second fastest time of :19.904 seconds. Ridden by jockey Raul Ramirez, Jr., the son of First Prize Perry earned a 91-speed index while racing into a 10 mph headwind.

Owned by Jaime Flores, Ww Showtime picked up his third career win in eight starts and used the $3,000 winner's purse to push his earning to $25,018. A finalist in last year's EVD Futurity, Ww Showtime entered the trials off a $10,000-claiming win at Delta Downs last May. Darrell Williams bred the sorrel colt in Louisiana from the Strawfly Special mare Ww Family Tradition.

The lightly raced Exquisite Stride was an impressive ¾ length winner in the third trial under jockey Joe Badilla, Jr. for trainer Michael Taylor. The son of Carters Cartel posted a :19.983 clocking against a 12 mph headwind to get the 5th fastest qualifying spot. John Andrei bred the bay colt in California from the Mr Jess Perry mare Tinys Lil Jess.

As a two-year-old the D & S Racing, LLC owned 3-year-old was the fastest qualifier on Day-2 for the $2.6 million All American Futurity(G1) at Ruidoso Downs. He finished a troubled sixth in the final.

After finishing second in the his first start in 2015, a trial for the Rainbow Derby(G1), Exquisite Stride was injured in a freak training accident and nearly lost his life. His next start did not come until late last month where he finished second in an allowance after getting bothered from a slow start at Evangeline. Exquisite Stride has won three of six starts and earned $115,080.

Taylor also saddled last year's EVD Futurity winner Zoomin Baby who got the 6th spot after finishing third to fastest qualifier Bay Eagle Glory. Owned by Francisco Vega, the Jess Zoomin stakes winner has earned $145,111.

For the complete list of EVD Derby finalists, times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.