AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION—APRIL 5, 2017Propelled by a pair of graded stakes wins at Remington Park, Johnny Trotter's Bodacious Eagle landed in the top spot of the first AQHA Racing National Poll of 2017 for 3-year-olds and older.

The 5-year-old gelding by One Famous Eagle kicked off this season with a victory in the Eastex Stakes (G2) in Oklahoma City on March 12 and then scored again in the Leo Stakes (G1) on April 1. The Trey Wood trainee received 49 of 50 possible votes.

Ted Abrams’ reigning world champion Jessies First Down holds the No. 2 spot in the poll after making his 2017 debut with a victory in a trial for the Bank of America Sam Houston Championship Challenge (G2) in Texas. The FDD Dynasty gelding is set to return in the final on April 22.

Rounding out the top three is Running Dragon, a 3-year-old filly by Zulu Dragon with three restricted graded stakes wins against New Mexico-breds at Sunland Park this year.

The poll for 2-year-olds will return in May.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND OLDER

1. BODACIOUS EAGLE (49)
2. JESSIES FIRST DOWN (27)
3. RUNNING DRAGON (25)
4. BH LISAS BOY (24)
5. JESS GOOD REASON (22)
5. KLASSIC STRAWFLY (22)
7. IMAQTPIE (16)
7. MYST FIT (16)
7. WILD MARES MILK (16)
10. ZOOMIN FOR SPUDS (14)

ZOOMIN EFFORTLESSLY (13), MEMPHIS D NASTY (8), BIG LEW (7), VALIANT ROGUE (6), FIRST PRIZE DIAMONDS (4), DUTCHER (3), START SOMETHIN BAD (2), STELFAST (1).

Voters include a mixture of racing media and horsemen from a diverse geographical area. The panel of voters include:

• Bob Broadstock – AQHA Racing Committee Member
• Ed Burgart – Los Alamitos Media
• Martha Claussen – Wrangler Racing Ace
• Mike Cusortelli – The Downs at Albuquerque Media
• Dale Day – Remington Park Media
• Scott Giltner – AQHA Racing Committee Member
• Mark Herron – TRACK Magazine
• Dutch Jumonville – AQHA Racing Committee Member
• David Smith – Stallionesearch.com
• Ty Wyant – Ruidoso Downs Media

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHARacing on Twitter, watch the AQHA Racing Newscast and visit www.aqharacing.com.