RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JULY 22, 2017— Juan Medina’s Eagle Jazz defeated chief rival Uptown Dynasty and kept his chances alive for the $4-million All American Triple Crown Bonus with a romping win in the Grade 1, $1-million Rainbow Futurity on Sunday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

Eagle Jazz finished in a dead heat with Melvin Neugebauer’s Uptown Dynasty in the Grade 1, $1-million Ruidoso Futurity and now Eagle Jazz has the win in the Rainbow Futurity.

If he can qualify for the Grade 1, $3-million All American Futurity and win the 440-yard classic, his connections would be the first to take the $4-million All American Triple Crown bonus. His total earning would approximate $6.4-million.

That would easily make him the all-time leading money earning quarter horse. He came into the Rainbow Futurity with $480,449 in earnings and he added $420,000 with the Rainbow Futurity brings his earning mark to $900,449.

It was an historic weekend for trainer Judd Kearl. He won the $1.15-million Rainbow Derby(G1) on Saturday with Hold Air Hostage. He is only the second trainer to win the Rainbow Derby and the Rainbow Futurity during the same year.

Johnie Goodman pulled off the feat in 1981 with Special Effort winning the Rainbow Futurity and Higheasterjet taking the Rainbow Derby.

Kearl saddled four horses in the Rainbow Futurity and three horses in the Rainbow Derby. His horses earned $1,230,875, which equates to 57.25 percent of the total purses in the two races.

"Reality may set in tomorrow," said Kearl. "I’m glad it’s all over."

Eagle Jazz easily did his work in the Rainbow Futurity. He finished three quarters of a length ahead of Uptown Dynasty and it was just another nose back to third-place finisher Starfield.

The Rodrigo Sigala Vallejo-ridden Eagle Jazz started from the ninth post position and Hotstepper, in the eighth post position, broke slowly from the starting gate. That gave Eagle Jazz added running room.

A powerful gelding by world champion and All American Futurity winner One Dashing Eagle, Eagle Jazz had the lead within the first 200 yards and then easily handled his rivals for his sixth win from seven lifetime starts. His only defeat was a second by a head in the $1-million Remington Park Oklahoma-bred Futurity.

Owner-breeder Medina bred the gelding from his graded stakes winning and graded stakes producing Tres Seis mare Baja Jazz.

"I was a little worried about the outside (post position)," said Kearl. "He’s a monster."

Eagle Jazz established the fastest time on the first day of trials to the Ruidoso Futurity. Uptown Dynasty raced to the third-quickest mark on the second day of trials.

Those two horses then finished on equal terms in the Ruidoso Futurity.

In the Rainbow Futurity trials, Eagle Jazz won his trial by three-and-one-quarter lengths and Uptown Dynasty was a winner by a neck in his trial. They each raced to the fastest time of their trial day.

Uptown Dynasty won three straight races for trainer Wes Giles before his valiant second-place finish from the inside post position under Larry Payne.

Neugebauer paid $65,000 at Heritage Place Yearling Sale for the son of leading sire Mr Jess Perry from the FDD Dynasty mare Ms Southern Dynasty. Bred in Oklahoma by Sam Green, Uptown Dynasty picked up $180,000 today to bring his earning mark to $485,400.

Paragon Farms, LLC’s Starfield, a $102,000 Ruidoso Select Sale Yearling purchase, came into the Rainbow Futurity after wins in his Ruidoso Futurity trial and then Rainbow Futurity trial for trainer Kearl. The colt was ridden by Agustin Silva.

MJ Farms bred the FDD Dynasty colt in New Mexico from the Tres Seis mare Starsmith. He has banked $106,280 in just four starts.

Fly Baby Fly, Painted Wine Wagon, Wagon Chick V, Lena Cartel, Hotstepper and Perrys Dynasty completed the field. Corona For Tres was scratched.

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