OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—APRIL 1, 2017—Bodacious Eagle was spectacular in winning the first Remington Park stakes race for older horses this season when he scored the Eastex Stakes by 1-1/2 lengths on March 12.

Saturday night, he added the Grade 1, $101,800 Leo Stakes, catching the defending champ in the race from a year ago, Zoomin Effortlessly.

Owned by Johnny Trotter of Hereford, Texas and trained by Trey Wood, Bodacious Eagle was ridden by Ricky Ramirez who guided the 5-year-old gelding to a nose-win over heavy 3-5 betting favorite Zoomin Effortlessly who had the jump on the field at the start of the 400 yards. Bodacious Eagle was up to the challenge according to Ramirez.

"It’s kind of hard to step it up a notch after his last performance (in the Eastex) but he performed just as good tonight. I don’t think he broke as good as last time, but he broke beautiful. I saw Zoomin Effortlessly, a good horse that I respect. I kind of panicked a little bit but when I asked (Bodacious Eagle) to go, he went and responded very beautiful. He’s a nice horse, he’s one of the best horses I’ve ever rode."

Bodacious Eagle also impressed Wood as he improved to win the Leo after finishing fourth behind Zoomin Effortlessly a year ago. "He ran the same race tonight (as the Eastex), maybe a step better because he’s a lot fitter and sharper. The horse is on top of his game, more so now than he ever has been."

Bodacious Eagle crossed the finish in a rapid :19.262 seconds over the fast track. Zoomin Effortlessly was caught in the final strides and was three-quarters of a length better than third-place Big Lew. Away at 7-1 odds in the betting, Bodacious Eagle paid $17.20 to win, $4 to place and $3 to show. Zoomin Effortlessly returned $2.80 to place and $2.20 to show. Big Lew paid $3.40 to show.

The Leo Stakes is the 10th win from 22 career attempts for Bodacious Eagle. Bred in Oklahoma by La Feliz Montana Ranch, Bodacious Eagle is by One Famous Eagle from the Corona Cartel mare Bodacious Dream. The first-place check of $59,730 for the Leo Stakes raises the overall earnings for Bodacious Eagle to $769,549.

Ridden by jockey Santos Carrizales, Zoomin Effortlessly came up short for trainer Edelmiro Carrizales and owner Telesforo Perrett. The multiple grade 1 winning son of Zoomin For Bux earned $19,910 to bring his earnings mark to nearly $690,000. Tommy Charbula bred the 6-year-old in Texas from the Royal Quick Dash mare Royal Quick Affair.

2016 Grade 1 Los Alamitos Derby winner Big Lou finished third under jockey Stormy Smith. Mike Robbins trains the son of Corona Cartel for owner Reliance Ranches LLC. Bred by McColee Land & Livestock, Big Lou picked up $10,951. Out of the Executive Menace mare Executive Looks, Big Lew has earned $607,378.

Apollitical Ok, Mr Jo Eagle, Tres Friends, Fly Thru The Fire, Boogies Special Dash, Apollitical Man and Wahoo Raider completed the field.

The Leo Stakes is named in honor of one of Quarter Horse racing’s foundation sires. Leo stood the bulk of his long stallion career in Perry, Okla. where a life-size statue commemorates him to this day.

Remington Park racing continues Sunday, April 2 at 1:30pm.

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Tracked by over 119,000 fans on Facebook and 8,400 Twitter followers, Remington Park is the home of the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Futurity on Saturday, March 25. Remington Park has provided over $165 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Open daily at 10:30am with free parking and admission, Oklahoma City’s only Racetrack & Casino is located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District. For more information, reservations and group bookings please call 405-424-1000, 866-456-9880 or visit remingtonpark.com.