Page 42 - January 6 2012

El Aguila Real’s winning connections include trainer Vince Smith, jockey Cruz Mendez, and owner Bianca Mendez (far right).
Southern California Derby-G1
El AGuilA REAl
by Tracy Gantz
When 21-year-old Bianca Mendez first saw Southern California Derby-G1 winner El Aguila Real as a yearling in 2009, she fell in love with the nearly black colt. She and jockey Santiago Mendez were about to get married, and Santiago bought the colt for Bianca as an early wedding present.
“Since I was really little, I always wanted a black horse,” said Bianca, who now owns two race- horses. “I love eagles, so I named him El Aguila Real,” the word “aguila” being Spanish for eagle.
Bianca is very hands on, helping trainer Vince Smith in taking care of her horses. She grew up in Compton, California, and her father, Carlos Romero, always had horses, ranging from Andalusians to racing Quarter Horses. The two of them have now both won the same race, with El Aguila Real following Romero’s Hulapai, who
won the Southern California Derby at Los Alamitos in 2009.
El Aguila Real surprised even his owner when he qualified the fastest for the Dec. 18 Southern California Derby.
“I always had faith in him, even though he had never been in a Grade 1 race, but I didn’t expect him to be the fastest,” said Bianca.
El Aguila Real won his Nov. 27 trial by a half-length in :19.685, but that
wasn’t enough to make him the
favorite for the final. El Aguila
Real went off as the 4-1 third choice behind favored First Black Wagon, the third-fastest qualifier. Paul Jones trains First Black Wagon, who won a divi- sion of the Oct. 29 John Deere Stakes at Los Alamitos.
Feature My Corona broke
fastest from post position two,
with Lifes Been Good, from
the rail, running right with
him. El Aguila Real came out
of post three in good order,
though he bumped slightly with Eddie Ray Vaughan a few strides out of the gate. Jockey Cruz Mendez, Bianca’s brother-in-law, urged El Aguila Real forward, and he responded to
close ground and win by a head in :19.743. Bianca and Santiago gelded El Aguila Real
before he ever reached the racetrack. He has raced his entire career at Los Alamitos, and
Santiago rode him in his first 10 starts. At two in 2010,
El Aguila Real broke his maiden and finished third
in the California Breeders Freshman Stakes. In 2011, he won two allowance races and ran second in the Jens L. List Jr. Memorial California Breeders Stakes.
“Even in allowance races, he’s often been 20-1,” said Bianca.
Santiago and Cruz were both involved in a spill in mid-September. Santiago
dislocated his hip and is undergoing physical therapy, hoping to be back exercising horses by March. While Santiago is away from the races, Cruz is deputizing for him on El Aguila Real.
40 SPEEDHORSE, January 6, 2012
Los Alamitos $171,750 • 400 yards :19.743 • si 87
First Down Dash
Corona Czech
Corona Chick
EL AGUILA REAL, g.
Lanes Leinster
I Am All That
Wards Special Touch
RAcing news
los Alamitos