Jordan Eagle Is The Fastest Qualifier For The $311,470 Evangeline Downs Futurity

OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 23, 2018—Jordan Eagle had just one previous victory in his brief career entering Friday night at Evangeline Downs. However, his second win certainly sent shockwaves through the other entrants in the trials for the $311,470 Evangeline Downs Futurity.

Jordan Eagle exploded through the stretch after a strong start and just missed eclipsing the eight-year-old track record for the 400-yard distance by .03 of a second. He finished in a time :19.440 seconds over the fast track, equaling a speed index of 105.

It is possible that Jordan Eagle's effort on Friday night shouldn't be considered such a surprise as his maiden-breaking victory at Lone Star Park on October 27 also featured an eye-popping speed index of 107, as he covered 250-yards in 13 seconds flat in that last effort.

Jordan Eagle was bred in Texas by Weetona Stanley. He is owned by Javier Rosique, trained by Josue Ponce and was ridden to victory by Jesse Levario. The 2-year-old colt is by leading sire One Famous Eagle and is out of the Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare, Pyc Prize Doll, a sister to Grade 3 winner and second-crop Louisiana sire Fast Prize Jordan.

The win on Friday was his second career victory from four starts. The $3,000 first-place purse he earned on Friday night increases his lifetime earnings to $17,493.

The $35,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale graduate was second in his first start (a trial for the Dash For Cash Futurity-G2 ), then returned to finish second by a nose in the $45,000 Dash For Cash Juvenile at Lone Star Park.

Jordan Eagle was not the only qualifier for the final from the trainer and jockey combination of Josue Ponce and Jesse Levario. They also are the team behind the fourth-fastest qualifier, Runnin For Corona, a $67,000 Ruidoso Select Sale graduate racing for owner Dianna Karen Estrada.

The lightly raced son of leading sire Corona Cartel was second in the trial #3, where a blanket-finish produced four qualifiers.

Bred by Lucas Racing Inc., the colt is a brother to stakes winner The Ocean King and half-brother to world champion Wave Carver and champion Ocean Runaway.

Canonball Run, a colt by the deceased champion sire American Runaway, got his second consecutive win following a three-quarter length effort in trial 7 for owner Belinda Paredes and trainer Josue Huitron. Ridden by jockey Luis Vivanco, the gray gelding recorded the second fastest qualifying time of :19.593 seconds, a 101 speed index.

Bred in Texas by Bobby D. Cox, from the Mr Jess Perry mare Sinuous, Canonball Run spent the summer in Ruidoso where he failed to break his maiden in three trial efforts. Prior to his Evangeline trial, the colt got a two-length 330 yard maiden win at Lone Star Park October 19.

Stakes-placed Mia Jet In defeated the aforementioned Runnin For Corona by head in trial #3 to get the third fastest clocking of :19.559 seconds, a 98 speed index.

Trainer Kenneth Weeks saddled the Old South Futurity runner-up for owner/breeder Lester Colomb. The daughter of Jet Black Patriot is the first foal from the stakes winning Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare Pyc First Prize Mia. Luciano Duenez was aboard the four-time winner who has earned $39,381 this season.

Fastest qualifier Jordan Eagle and Mia Jet In are both out of Pyc Paint Your Wagon mares from the same female line of all-time leading sire First Down Dash and leading sire Heza Fast Dash.

Each of the 11 Evangeline Downs Futurity trials offered a purse of $5,000 and the final will offer a purse of $311,470 with the winner earning $155,735. It will be one of four finals to be run on Saturday, December 15 at Evangeline Downs.

CLICK HERE for a complete list of the 10 Evangeline Downs Futurity finalists, their times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys for the Evangeline Downs Futurity.

Racing will resume at Evangeline Downs on Saturday night with a nine-race program that will include seven trials for the $159,060 Evangeline Downs Derby. Post time on Saturday will be 5:35 pm Central Time.

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For more information on the American Quarter Horse season at Evangeline Downs, visit the track's website at evdracing.com. Evangeline Downs' Twitter handle is @EVDRacing and the racetrack is also accessible on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EvangelineDownsRacing.

About Evangeline Downs
Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel is owned by Boyd Gaming Corporation, a leading diversified owner and operator of 22 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, New Jersey, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Boyd Gaming press releases are available at www.prnewswire.com. Additional news and information can be found at www.boydgaming.com, or evangelinedowns.com.