Page 149 - Speedhorse, October 2021

HS Golden Eagle had been steadily improv- ing. She began her career at Turf Paradise, and in three starts at SunRay Park, she finished second twice and fourth in the New Mexico Breeders Futurity-G3. Jacob Enriquez rode
her for the first time in her trial for the New Mexico State Fair Futurity, and she responded by breaking her maiden by a length.
In the final, HS Golden Eagle went off at 13-1, the fourth choice in the field of eight (after two scratches). She broke on top from post five and just kept widening her advan- tage. HS Golden Eagle thoroughly dominated the competition, winning by 1 3/4 lengths in :19.557 for 400 yards.
“We had no problems in the gate—every- thing was clean,” said Duarte.
The trainer noted that HS Golden Eagle has been easy to work with from the very beginning.
“We never had any problem with her,” he said. “She was pretty tame all the time and never had a problem when we put the saddle on her and started loping her. She was a pretty nice baby.”
With the way that she is developing, HS Golden Eagle could improve even more as a three year old.
“I think she’s going to be a pretty nice filly next year, too,” said Duarte. “Maybe she’ll take a few months’ break and then we’ll start again.”
Hubaldo Solis bred HS Golden Eagle in New Mexico from the winning Thoroughbred mare Catchtherain. The mare has produced four winners in six starters—two of those win- ners Quarter Horses and one a Thoroughbred. Osbaldo, HS Golden Eagle’s sire, earned
$456,878 and won five stakes, including the 2013 Jess Burner Memorial Handicap-G1 at Sunland Park.
Sissie and Bob McClure’s homebred Holland Rock (Rock Solid Jess-Holland Fire) finished second. Noe Garcia Jr. rode the geld- ing for trainer Fred Danley. Still a maiden, Holland Rock has finished second in four of his five starts, two of those efforts coming at Ruidoso Downs.
Big Crush BB (Big Daddy Cartel-Eagles First Down), bred and owned by Ralph Vincent and Beverly Bourguet, ran third for
jockey Francisco Calderon and trainer Seth Ferguson. The colt broke his maiden in his sec- ond start at Los Alamitos in June, was unplaced in two races at Ruidoso, and then won his trial for the Futurity.
Rounding out the field were Long Pour (Big Daddy Cartel-White Wine Glass), Dashin Approach (Mr PYC To You-Panther Not
A Kitty), BF Shes Outrageous (Big Daddy Cartel-BF Outrageous), Jess Take Babe (Jess A Chicks-Take Off Babe), and Day Thuggin (Big Daddy Cartel-Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle). Flume Chicks & Miriam La Rebelde were scratched.
RACING NEWS
HS Golden Eagle’s connections include owner Lucina Salas Lopez and trainer Javier Duarte.
Jacob Enriquez & HS Golden Eagle win the race wire-to-wire by 1 3/4-lengths.
SPEEDHORSE October 2021 147
Coady Photography Coady Photography