RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JUNE 26, 2017—The strong stakes-winning pair of Bodacious Eagle and Sam Crow, each trained by Trey Wood, meet a full field in the Grade 3, $50,000 Higheasterjet Handicap and fastest-qualifier Maxx also faces nine rivals in the $48,510 Adequan Ruidoso Downs Derby Challenge (see related story)on Saturday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

First post time is 1 p.m. with free parking and free general admission. The Adequan Ruidoso Downs Derby Challenge runs as the sixth race while the Higheasterjet is the ninth race on the 10-race program.

The 350-yard Higheasterjet has a deep field that also includes last summer’s Grade 1, $1,224,488 Rainbow Derby winner Valiant Rogue.

Johnny Trotter’s Bodacious Eagle is perfect this year with two stakes wins from two starts, each at Remington Park. The five-year-old gelding first took the Grade 2, $50,252 Eastex Stakes by a commanding one-and-one-half lengths as the 6-5 favorite. The One Famous Eagle son returned in the Grade 1, $100,000 Leo Stakes to score a neck triumph over Zoomin Effortlessly. That April 1 out was his most recent start.

Jockey Ricky Ramirez is the regular rider for Bodacious Eagle and Sam Crow. He decided to ride Bodacious Eagle and they will start from the tenth post position.

Valeriano Racing Stables, LLC’s Sam Crow has earned $980,177 and would become a millionaire with a Higheasterjet victory. A $40,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale purchase, Sam Crow has 19 starts with six wins, nine seconds and one third.

The Valiant Hero-sired gelding also had an excellent spring at Remington Park with his three starts against Oklahoma-bred competition. He rallied in the $62,000 Mighty Deck Three Stakes at 350 yards, but came up a nose short of Valiant Rogue. He avenged that defeat with a three-quarter-length win over Valiant Rogue in the $62,000 Mr Jet Moore Stakes before overcoming a rough start to get up for a second-place finish in the $100,000 Sooner State Stakes, beaten by only a head.

Esgar Ramirez has picked up the mount on Sam Crow with the seventh post position.

Wyok Ranch, LLC’s Valiant Rogue raced to the most important victory of his career when he took the Rainbow Derby last summer at Ruidoso Downs. He showed he was the best horse in the 440-yard Rainbow Derby when he pulled out to a one-and-three-quarter-length score.

Valiant Rogue, another gelding sired by Valiant Hero, also had a strong spring campaign at Remington Park when he made four starts against Oklahoma-bred rivals. He got the close nose win over Sam Crow in the Mighty Deck Three Stakes and picked up second-place checks in the Mr Jet Moore Stakes and the $62,000 Boyd Morse Handicap.

A $20,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale purchase, Valiant Rogue has earned $662,562,

Trainer Judd Kearl will have Rodrigo Sigala Vallejo up with the sixth post position.

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