SUNLAND PARK, NM--MARCH 10, 2018--Imperial Eagle, winner of the 2016 All American Futurity(G1), showed his class once again to win the 31st running of the $102,482 West Texas Maturity(G3) at Sunland Park Racetrack Casino and Hotel on Saturday.

The big grey wore down a game Boogies Special Dash in a driving finish to win his fifth career stakes race. Under jockey Esgar Ramirez, Imperial Eagle produced his patented late kick to capture the 400-yard dash as the 2-1 favorite.

The four-year-old son of leading sire One Famous Eagle won by a neck in a time of :19.086 seconds, good for a 102-speed index with a 10-mph tailwind. The victory reversed the results of the trials when Boogies Special Dash defeated Imperial Eagle.

Imperial Eagle earned the lion's share of the $102,482 purse and is now closing in on $1.9 million in career earnings. The 10-time winning AQHA Racing Champion is owned by Christina Robinson. His trainer is the popular Tony Sedillo. Imperial Eagle also won the 2016 Sunland Park Winter Juvenile Championship worth $200,000.

Bred in California by Fredda Draper, Imperial Eagle is out of the Genuine Strawfly mare Jenuine Joy.

Boogies Special Dash dug in for the battle and led mid-way through the feature. The son of Walk Thru Fire came up just short under jockey Adrian A. Ramos and had to settle for second place. The high-powered stakes horse finished three parts of a length in front of Soar Like an Eagle.

Trainer Wesley T. Giles conditions the 5-year-old for owner Kenneth Ruthardt. Bred in California by Jamie Gomez, from the Strawfly Special mare Boogie Special, the sorrel gelding boosted his earnings to $362,975 after pocketing $11,700 for second.

Also by One Famous Eagle, third-place finisher Soar Like An Eagle races for owner Abelardo Gallegos and trainer Isidro Rodriguez. Jose Enriquez rode the 4-year-old Texas-bred from the Feature Mr Jess mare Petriflying. Bred by Fulton Quien Sabe Ranches, LP, Soar Like An Eagle earned $7,150 to bring his earnings bankroll to $74,279.

Ramblin Rock On, A Special Dynasty, Highest Return, Dynasty Ice 123, Lotta Dynasty, Discrete and Apollitical Kitten completed the field.

Live racing resumes on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

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The $800,000 Sunland Derby (Gr. III) is only 2 weeks away and happens on Sunday, March 25. Sunland Park's biggest day offers a bonanza of stakes races worth $1.5 million including the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks.