One Dashing Eagle Soars in All American Futurity

California-based colt invades Ruidoso Downs to score in the sport’s richest race.

September 3, 2012

Running true to his name, One Dashing Eagle flew out of the gate and never gave up the lead en route to a convincing victory in the $2.4 million All American Futurity (G1) before a record crowd of 24,106 at Ruidoso Downs on Labor Day. The sorrel colt by One Famous Eagle, ridden by Ramon Sanchez for trainer Jose De La Torre, battled for the early lead and then extended his advantage to three-quarters of a length before hitting the wire in :21.230 for 440 yards. As the second favorite in the wagering, he paid $14.60 for a $2 win ticket.

A $43,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale purchase owned by brothers Jose and Gustavo De La Torre and Jorge Carmona’s San Gregorio Racing Stable Inc., One Dashing Eagle earned a check for $1.2 million from the richest purse ever for the All American Futurity, or any other American Quarter Horse race.

“We can't be happier than this,” said Jose De La Torre. “It's not every day that things happen like they did today.”

“We were confident in the horse and his improvement,” said co-owner Carmona. “He was getting better and better and better. I was super nervous (while watching the race from the monitor near the winner's circle). Right now, I can barely breathe. It's so emotional.”

Fastest qualifier and 7-10 favorite PJ Chick In Black, a New Mexico-bred daughter of Desirio, came out of the gate in good order but drifted in throughout the race, bumped with a rival and crossed the wire sixth in the field of nine.

“She warmed up really good,” said Esgar Ramirez, who rode the filly for trainer John Stinebaugh and owners Dennis Bowen, Susan Taylor and Jack Smith Farms. “I thought she was on the top of her game, but she never got focused in the gate like she did in the trials. When the dirt started hitting her, she threw her head like she didn’t want to run. It wasn’t our day.”

One Dashing Eagle qualified to the All American with the sixth-fastest time in a victory in the 26th and final trial. He made his first three career starts at Los Alamitos Race Course, where he finished second in a maiden race before winning a trial and the final of the Ed Burke Million Futurity (G1). His earnings now stand at $1,626,205.

One Dashing Eagle became the second All American Futurity winner bred by the Allred Bros., the American Quarter Horse Hall of Famers comprising the late Harvey, Dale and Jerry Allred. Breeders for more than 50 consecutive years, the Allred Bros. also bred 2002 All American winner AB What A Runner. One Dashing Eagle was bred in Arizona out of the graded stakes-winning First Down Dash mare One Sweet Dash, who is also the dam of Grade 1 winner One Sweet Jess campaigned by the De Le Torre brothers.

“We're just glad that we're here and we know we can accomplish things with this kind of horse,” added Jose De La Torre. “This pedigree – with One Sweet Dash, Walk Thru Fire, all that family – is a great, great pedigree. We have to thank Jerry (Allred). He’s up there watching us. He helped us a lot to raise these kind of horses.

“Ramon told me if this horse gets out of there we are going to win it,” De La Torre continued. “He said, ‘I made a couple mistakes in the trials, but I know what to do in the final.’ And he did.”

“I was like a length in front the second jump,” said Sanchez. “After that, everything was easy.”

De La Torre said One Dashing Eagle is paid up for the Golden State Million Futurity (G1) at Los Alamitos but not for the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1).

One Dashing Eagle is from the first crop of the Grade 1-winning champion Mr Jess Perry stallion One Famous Eagle. This victory puts One Famous Eagle’s first-crop earnings at just over $2 million to extend his lead as the breed’s top freshman sire. One Famous Eagle stands at Four Sixes Ranch near Guthrie, Texas, as property of Johnny Trotter and Burnett Ranches LLC.

21 Partnership’s Sudden Thoughts, a Wave Carver gelding bred in New Mexico by Jim Pitts, ducked in toward the rail after breaking from the inside post. Jockey Rodrigo Aceves rode the gray to a second-place finish for conditioner Eduardo Gonzalez. The gelding had earnings of $4,970 before the race and picked up another $350,000 for his effort.

“He just ducked in the first couple of jumps,” said Aceves. “I had to pull him around and correct him. Then he got momentum and went on.”

Jimmy and Marilyn Harrel’s Aha Moment crossed the wire third and earned $185,000. Bred in Texas by Joe Kirk Fulton, the No Secrets Here colt was ridden by Saul Ramirez Jr. for trainer Paul Jones.

Native Tea Rose finished fourth, followed by Just Wanna Corona, PJ Chick In Black, BP Cartels Alibi, Mr Perry Cartel and Krash Cartel.

Jess A Zoomin, the race’s second-fastest qualifier, sustained a catastrophic injury after his trial victory and was euthanized.

In the $84,000 All American Juvenile (R), trainer Juan Gonzalez swept the exacta as Gonna Cha Cha defeated Fastpass Regard by a neck in a time of :21.864 for 440 yards. Cody Wainscott rode the Gonna Ro Sham Bo gelding to victory for owners Norma and Brenda Alvarez and Debra Laney. K.H. Logax Inc.’s homebred Fastpass Regard, an Oklahoma-bred gelding by Chicks Regard, put in a game effort with Saul Ramirez Jr. aboard but could not get to the winner.

Gonna Cha Cha, who suffered his first career defeat with a second-place effort in the All American Futurity trials, picked up $21,990 for his fourth win in five trips to the post and his earnings now stand at $196,172. The New Mexico-bred broke his maiden at Ruidoso Downs and then won a trial and the final of the $395,028 Zia Futurity (RG1). Dosi and Norma Alvarez bred the brown gelding out of the Dome (TB) mare Domeinitchy (TB).

A Dream To Remember, a Corona Cartel filly owned by R.D. Hubbard, Johnny Cope and Henry Southway, got up for third. Gonzalez also saddled fourth-place finisher Lighting Regard, who was followed by Shaker Mountain, Jess A Valentine, Spoiled Jess, Santy Claus and CR Sweet Te.