AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION—AUGUST 24, 2017—After an impressive 3 ˝-length victory with the fastest qualifying time in Sunday’s All American Derby (G1) trials at Ruidoso Downs, Hold Air Hostage jumped to the top of this week’s AQHA Racing National Poll for 3-year-olds and up.

A gelded son of Apollitical Jess, Hold Air Hostage has won five of seven starts this year, including the Rainbow Derby (G1) and Heritage Place Derby (G2). His 440-yard qualifying time of :21.109 – more than 3/10ths of a second faster than the second qualifier – sets him up to be the strong favorite in the $1,365,907 final on September 3.

Zoomin Effortlessly, who hasn’t raced since winning the Remington Park Invitational Championship (G1) on June 3, dropped to second after spending 11 consecutive weeks at No. 1. The only other significant change in the poll for older horses was the debut of Golden State Derby (G2) winner That Rico in the eighth spot.

There was no change at the top of the 2-year-old poll, but Eagle Jazz is no longer a unanimous choice for No. 1 and his rival Uptown Dynasty closed the gap from No. 2.

Both runners scored powerful wins during the All American Futurity (G1) trials at Ruidoso, but only Uptown Dynasty’s time was fast enough to advance to the $3-million final on Labor Day. Eagle Jazz, who dead-heated with Uptown Dynasty to win the Ruidoso Futurity (G1) and defeated that foe in the Rainbow Futurity (G1), won his heat by 4 ˝ lengths but a slight stumble at the start and a 9-mph headwind contributed to his time being just outside the list of qualifiers.

Also of note in the 2-year-old poll, Zia Futurity (RG1) winner Bigg Daddy, the fastest overall qualifier to the All American Futurity, moved into the poll for the first time at No. 9.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND OLDER

1. HOLD AIR HOSTAGE (93)
2. ZOOMIN EFFORTLESSLY (91)
3. JESSIES FIRST DOWN (75)
4. BODACIOUS EAGLE (71)
5. BH LISAS BOY (63)
6. TOUGH TO BEE (43)
7. MAGICAL JESS (33)
8. THAT RICO (14)
9. HIGH PLAINS PERRY (12)
10. HE LOOKS HOT (9)

RUNNING DRAGON (8), DUPONTE (6), HEZA LOUISIANA DASH (6), TIME FOR WINE (5), MYST FIT (4), APOLLITICAL OK (3), DASH QUICK PERRY (3), JESS GOOD REASON (3), POLITICALLY CORRUPT (3), IMAQTPIE (2), SKY BO DASH (2), PERCYJONES (1).

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS

1 EAGLE JAZZ (98)
2. UPTOWN DYNASTY (89)
3. NYMERIA (74)
4. KVN CORONA (71)
5. THIS IS AN EAGLE (48)
6. DASHNUNDER AFULLMOON (39)
7. LA VENCEDORA (35)
8. J FIRE UP (24)
9. BIGG DADDY (15)
10. (tie) FIRE AND SASS (14)
10. (tie) SIXES FLASH (14)

TOGETHER TO THE END (10), SUENOS DINEROS (6), IMA CHINA RUSH (5), JUST ANOTHER NATURAL (5), BLUE EYED FANCE (2), HOTSTEPPER (1).

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