Scott Martinez photo - story by Ty Wyant

El Aguila Real Sets Pace In So Cal Derby Trials           

Cypress, CA – Nov. 27, 2011 - Bianca Mendez’s El Aguila Real set a stunning pace when he won the first of four trials to the Grade 1, $171,754 Southern California Derby on Sunday night at Los Alamitos and his time :19.685 for the 400 yards held up as the fastest qualifying mark.
 

The 400-yard Southern California Derby will be the year’s final grade 1 derby when it is contested on December 18, capping the Los Alamitos Two Million and Champion of Champions weekend at the Southern California track.

           
The win was not just surprising — he went off at 27-1 odds — because he set the fastest qualifying time, but also due to the Cruz Mendez-ridden gelding defeating a classy group to qualify for his first grade 1 race. Trial runner-up Walkin Bac was a close second in the $196,000 Governor’s Cup Derby two starts earlier and third-place runner Flying Fig was the 17-10 favorite in the trial after being honored as the 2010 champion two-year-old filly with second-place runs in each of the three $1-million futurities at Los Alamitos.

           
Walkin Bac reached the Southern California Derby finals with the fourth-fastest time of :19.743 while Flying Fig is the final qualifier with her :19.922 time.

           
The Bianca Mendez-trained El Aguila Real has not been competing at the same level as the horses he beat in the trial. He has placed in a couple of minor stakes against California-bred company and won a non-winners-of-three allowance race as a prep for the Southern California Derby trials.

           
Jose and Gustavo De La Torre’s Eddie Ray Vaughn scored in the fourth trial with the second-fastest qualifying time of :19.725 with Adrian Loza aboard. He raced to the neck win over qualifiers Feature My Corona (:19.751), Lifes Been Good (:19.775) and Enjoy The Walk (:19.822) in the evening’s most productive trial.

           
The Ugo De La Torre-trained Eddie Ray Vaughn, a well-bred son of Corona Cartel and Tiny Dash Of Cash, qualified for the El Primero Del Ano Derby back in April and then surfaced in August to finish seventh in his Golden State Derby trial as the odds-on favorite.

           
The list of qualifiers and their times are El Aguila Real (:19.682), Eddie Ray Vaughan (:19.725), First Black Wagon (:19.740), Walkin Bac (:19.743), Feature My Corona (:19.751), Lifes Been Good (:19.775), Enjoy The Walk (:19.822), Vivid Lady (:19.862), Hawks Dream Girl (:19.882) and Flying Fig (:19.922).

™®© Copyright, SureBet Racing News, 2007 / Privacy Policy / MEDIA KIT / SUBSCRIBE / CONTACT
Site Powered by