Page 48 - Speedhorse May 2019

2015 Dash For Cash Derby-G3
2017 Leo Stakes-G1
2018 Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Stakes
NEXT STEP
Bodacious Eagle is in good hands. The gelding now is with Ross Roark (pronounced row-ark) in Andrews, Texas.
“Ross is the best,” Trotter says of the horse- man who has shown an AQHA-record 111 World Champions in the show ring. “Ross and I have known each other for, gosh, many years. His dad, Robert, was the county agent at Dumas. Other than just being a really good friend of ours, Ross is an excellent horseman and stockman. That sonuvagun is a cowboy, he knows horses, he knows cattle. He’s a top hand. He and I think alike. We communicate really well.”
Evidently, Roark communicates well with Bodacious Eagle, too. In March, Roark took the gelding to Amarillo, Texas, where on the 16th Bodacious Eagle topped the Open Performance Geldings under all four judges, who also were unanimous in placing him Overall Open Grand Champion Gelding. Bodacious Eagle left the
2015 Texas Classic Derby-G1
2017 Eastex Stakes-G2
2018 All American Gold Cup-G1
“At the end of the day, of all the horses I’ve ever had in
any category, Bodacious Eagle might be the smartest horse I’ve ever been around, so mentally focused and strong.” - Ross Roark
2017 Higheasterjet Handicap-G3
2018 Champion of Champions-G1
first show of his life qualified for the 2019 Lucas Oil AQHA World Championship Show.
“Bodacious Eagle, in my opinion, is perfect for the performance halter class,” says Roark,
53, who has shown such outstanding horses as multiple World Champion Wincredible. “He’s
a big horse, a very correct horse, a very balanced horse,” Roark said about Bodacious Eagle. “He’s clean-necked, he’s clean-legged, he has extremely well-developed shoulders and heartgirth. His back is very short compared to his underline – his underline from his elbow back to his flank
is extremely long. He has what I call a perfect racehorse hip and croup: it’s long and flat. He has tons of stifle; when you walk behind him, you can see the power in him. He’s a low-jointed horse with good, low hocks.”
That is only part of the story.
“At the end of the day, of all the horses I’ve ever had in any category, Bodacious
Bodacious Eagle is with Ross Roark, who has shown an AQHA-record 111 World Champions in the show ring. Roark is also the co-owner, with Gary & Linda Gordon, of 2014 Champion Jess Walking Thru.
46 SPEEDHORSE, May 2019