Eagles Up (#2) holds off Rios Dashing Spirit (#7) to win the $110,000 Sires's Cup Derby on Saturday at Retama Park.

© Jack Coady Photography

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

SELMA, TX—AUGUST 16, 2025—Fastest qualifier Eagles Up delivered a thrilling drive to the wire to capture the $110,000 Sires’ Cup Derby on Saturday evening at Retama Park, prevailing by a head over Rios Dashing Spirit in the 400-yard feature for 3-year-olds.

The sorrel colt, ridden by jockey Luis Vivanco, stopped the timer in 20.199 seconds, earning a 95 speed index against a stiff 12-mph headwind on a fast track. Vivanco scored a riding triple on Saturday's card at Retama Park.

Bred in Louisiana by Jumonville Farms, Eagles Up is a 3-year-old son of leading sire One Famous Eagle out of U R Blue, by Walk Thru Fire. Owned by Mario H. Vazquez and Jumonville Farms, the colt is trained by Jose Sanchez.

The winning connections of Eagles Up accept the Sire's Cup Derby stakes trophy on Saturday at Retama Park.
© Jack Coady Photography

Eagles Up scored his first career stakes win after posting a second in the EVD Futurity(G2) last season and third in the Sam Houston Derby(G3) in June. He was a $75,000 purchase at the 2024 Heritage Place Mixed Sale. With the victory, Eagles Up banked $44,000, bringing his earnings to $156,743 for his connections.

Runner-up Rios Dashing Spirit, a bay filly by Apollitical Spirit out of Rios Dashing Patty, by Heza Fast Dash, turned in a game effort under jockey Francisco Calderon for owner BM AQ Racing LLC and trainer Paul Leal.

Bred in Texas by BM AQ Racing LLC, she earned $22,000 for finishing second to bring her bankroll total to $64,238.

Finishing third was the graded stakes-placed filly Flirtacious Showboat, a brown filly by leading sire Kiss My Hocks out of Splish Splash, by Ivory James. Owned by Tyler and Naia Graham, the filly is trained by Marc Jungers and was ridden by Raul Hernandez, Jr.

Bred in Oklahoma by Marty & Shalia Powers, she sold for $40,000 at the 2023 Heritage Place Yearling Sale. Her third-place effort earned $11,000 tonight. Third in the restricted Grade 1 Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Futurity at 2, Flirtacious Showboat has earned $137,937 in seven career starts.

Eagles Up returned $3.80 to win, $2.60 to place, and $2.40 to show. Rios Dashing Spirit paid $6.40 to place and $3.40 to show, while Flirtacious Showboat returned $9.40 to show.

Dm Chasing Money (4th), Standout (5th), Flyin Chilitos (6th), Jds Roustabout (7th), Tres Wines (8th), and Custom Maid Miss (9th) completed the order of finish. Marfalous was scratched.

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