Page 58 - 2 March 2012

Los Alamitos Winter Championship-G1
eL AGuiLA ReAL
by Tracy Gantz
After El Aguila Real won the Dec. 18 Southern California Derby-G1, owner Bianca Mendez indulged in some wishful thinking. She mentioned that she had paid him into the Los Alamitos Winter Championship-G1, which could give the gelding a shot at a Champion of Champions-G1 berth.
El Aguila Real would not only have to take on older horses in the Winter Championship, but many of those had impressive credentials.
“This is a really tough field,” said Mendez.
Nevertheless, El Aguila Real came through for his 21-year-old owner. He qualified for
the Winter Championship by running second to Dash Back Perry in his Jan. 29 trial and then captured the Feb. 19 final, earning that Champion of Champions berth, the first of the year.
To do it, El Aguila Real had to defeat two millionaires, 8-year-old Jess You And I and 7-year-old Noconi, as well as 4-year-old Senor Toby, undefeated in seven starts since being gelded.
Breaking from post five, just to the outside of Senor Toby, El Aguila Real jumped out to a quick lead. Senor Toby veered in and bumped slightly with BF Farm Boy, but quickly
matched strides with El Aguila Real. They barreled down the Los Alamitos straightaway together until El Aguila Real began to pull away. He ultimately defeated Senor Toby by three-quarters of a length in :19.502 for the 400 yards.
Bianca Mendez kissed
her horse on his nose in the winner’s circle and spoke of him with tears in her eyes. She spends plenty of time with El Aguila Real and her other four horses because she is apprentic- ing to take out her trainer’s license. Francisco Vallejo cur- rently trains El Aguila Real.
“Since he was a 2-year-old, he’s never broken out of the gate really well,” said Mendez. “But he has a really big heart.”
Bianca is married to jockey
Santiago Mendez, who bought El Aguila Real as a yearling in 2009 for Bianca as an early wedding present. Santiago was his regular rider until he dislocated his hip in a spill last September. His brother, Cruz, has piloted El Aguila Real since the accident.
Santiago witnessed the Southern California
Derby while on crutches. He quickly gradu- ated to a cane and didn’t even need that on the night of the Winter Championship.
“He still has to go to one more therapy session,” said Bianca, “but we are hoping that in three weeks he can start
galloping. We are excited that he’s getting closer to riding again.”
With Santiago in the saddle for his first 10 starts, El Aguila Real ran third
in the 2010 California Breeders Freshman Stakes and second in the 2011 Jens L. List Jr. Memorial Cal-bred Stakes. Cruz has won the Derby and Winter Championship.
The race was also the biggest for Vallejo.
“The horse has been in my barn for 45 days, and it was great to see how nicely he adjusted,” said the trainer. “He’s been eating great, and he’s truly an easygoing horse. He has a lot of natural ability.”
Bianca said that they may point El Aguila Real to the July 8 Vessels
Los Alamitos $226,050 • 400 yards :19.502 • si 91
First Down Dash
Corona Czech
Corona Chick
EL AGUILA REAL, ‘08-g.
Lanes Leinster
I Am All That
Wards Special Touch
Trainer Francisco Vallejo and his daughter, Adriana Aceves and her son.
El Aguila Real won the Los Alamitos Winter Championship-G1 to earn a berth to the Grade 1, $750,000 Champion of Champions-G1 at the end of the year.
56 SPEEDHORSE, March 2, 2012
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