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Bank of America Racing Challenge Doubleheader Tops Sunday Program at Turf Paradise
Champion Imperial Eagle will start in Sunday's $55,000-added Bank of America Turf Paradise Championship Challenge.

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Bank of America Racing Challenge Doubleheader Tops Sunday Program at Turf Paradise

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

PHOENIX, AZ—APRIL 27, 2018—Champion Imperial Eagle, a 4-year-old son of One Famous Eagle racing for Christina D. Robinson, drew post 4 for Sunday’s 440-yard, $55,000-added Bank of America Turf Paradise Championship Challenge at Turf Paradise.

Trained by Tony Sedillo, Imperial Eagle has won his last two starts, including the March 10, 400-yard West Texas Maturity (G3) at Sunland Park. The gray gelding has earned $1,865,332 from 19 races, and he was the sport’s champion 2-year-old in 2016.

Imperial Eagle will be ridden by J. Martin Bourdieu.

Orlando Guerrero’s May Be Fantastic SA, a 5-year-old Fantastic Corona Jr stallion trained by Ubaldo Guerrero, drew post 5 and will be ridden by Martin Osuna. May Be Fantastic SA has won seven of his 11 outs at Turf Paradise, and his season resume includes a second-place finish, 1 1/4 lengths behind winner Bruce Allmty, in the 350-yard, $50,000 KOFX-FM Handicap (G2) at Sunland Park on January 27.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:

  1. Dauns First Desirio (Kevin Carbajal)
  2. Mr Dynasty (Mark A. Jasso)
  3. Fighter Gone Wild (Emilio Tapia)
  4. Imperial Eagle (J. Martin Bourdieu)
  5. May Be Fantastic SA (Martin Osuna)
  6. Jess A Cowboy (Rodrigo Aceves)
  7. Fitz (Joseph Belloc Jr.)
  8. Arizona Icon (Luis R. Yescas Jr.)
  9. Movin The Doe (Rodolfo Arvizu)
  10. I V Gone (Jesus Osuna)

Also on Sunday, a field of five distance specialists has been entered in the 870-yard, $15,000-added AQHA Turf Paradise Distance Challenge.

Mickey Ward, a homebred 7-year-old son of FDD Dynasty owned by Ralph and Carolyn Fales and trained by Ralph Fales, will risk his three-race win streak from post 4. The gelding made his season debut with a wire-to-wire, three-quarter length victory in a 550-yard, $13,500 allowance dash at Los Alamitos on January 14.

J. Martin Bourdieu has been named to ride Mickey Ward on Sunday.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:

  1. Hes A Bugin (Francisco Monroy)
  2. A Mere Icon (Israel Hernandez)
  3. Eyes Blue Byou (Michael Ybarra)
  4. Mickey Ward (J. Martin Bourdieu)
  5. Rare Ed (Justine Klaiber)

All Turf Paradise races can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.