BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—NOVEMBER 8, 2017—A full field of 10 juveniles, headed by fastest qualifier Legacy Eagle, has been entered back in Saturday’s 400-yard, $873,616 Texas Classic Futurity (G1), the featured race on Lone Star Park’s closing-night program.

Trained by Trey Wood for owners Johnny Trotter and Randy Geiselman, Legacy Eagle broke his maiden with a head victory in the seventh of 10 trials on October 21. The gelded son of One Famous Eagle drew post 5 and will be ridden by Roy Baldillez.

Baldillez, 57, will be returning to the saddle after four years off. An accomplished jockey whose wins include the 2011 All American Futurity (G1) aboard Ochoa, Baldillez received a call from Wood asking him if he’d consider coming back to ride in the Texas Classic Futurity.

“How do you turn that down?,” asked Baldillez, whose last ride came in the 2013 Los Alamitos Two-Million Futurity (G1). “I’m happy with what I do now, and I’m not considering going back to a full-time riding career.

“Trey and I go way back,” he added. “I rode his first stakes winner at Sunland Park back in 2006. The horse ran in Trey’s dad’s name (Blane Wood), but he had done all the hands-on conditioning to get the horse ready for that race.”

Other Texas Classic Futurity contenders include This Is An Eagle, a sorrel son of One Famous Eagle trained by Leon Bard for owner Mary G. Lynne Thompson of Navasota, Texas. The $100,000 sale-topper at last year’s TQHA Sale in San Antonio, the colt began his career with a four-race win streak that included a half-length victory in the 330-yard, $484,000 Sam Houston Futurity (G2) on April 29.

This Is An Eagle drew post 8 and will be ridden by Francisco Calderon.

The Texas Classic Futurity is the state’s richest race for any breed. The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:

1. Cartel Cupid (Ricky Ramirez)
2. Starfield (Rodrigo Vallejo)
3. This Is A Deal Too (James Flores)
4. Factual Basis (Russel Hadley)
5. Legacy Eagle (Roy Baldillez)
6. Streakin Seis Corona (Luis Vivanco)
7. Thecartelofmiracle (Manuel Gutierrez)
8. This Is An Eagle (Francisco Calderon)
9. Hotstepper (Cody Jensen)
10. Another Shot (Raul Ramirez Jr.)

Also on Saturday, a full field of 10 2-year-olds, topped by Grade 1 winner Nymeria, has been entered in the 400-yard, $45,979 Texas Classic Juvenile Invitational Stakes. Trained by Alonso Neri for owner Alfredo Garza, Nymeria has earned $495,042 this season, and the Bigtime Favorite filly’s two wins include a neck victory in the June 3, $1.155-million Heritage Place Futurity (G1) at Remington Park. Nymeria drew the rail post and will be ridden by Manuel Gutierrez.

All Lone Star Park races can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.