One Famous Eagle is one of two starters in Sunday's $2.6 million All American Derby(G1) for trainer Eddie D. Willis.

© Richard Chamberlain

Q-RACING JOURNAL—SEPTEMBER 3, 2016— On Sunday afternoon, Eddie D. Willis will send out two starters in the industry’s richest race for 3-year-olds, the $2,414,691 All American Derby (G1). The Oklahoma-based trainer put Cesar Gomez aboard both Boogies Special Dash and One Fabulous Eagle to qualify in the August 21 trials at Ruidoso Downs.

Running in the 11th trial, Kenneth Ruthardt’s Boogies Special Dash (Walk Thru Fire-Boogie Special by Strawfly Special) responded with a :21.301 mark, the sixth-fastest time, while winning by 1 1/2 lengths as the odds-on favorite. Bred by Jaime Gomez in California, the sorrel gelding is in peak form after a second-place run behind Valiant Rogue in the July 23 Rainbow Derby (G1) in his previous start. Boogies Special Dash has earned $264,092.

“He’s a really nice horse,” Willis said. “‘Boogie’ ran here in Ruidoso and in Oklahoma last year, and he’s run here all this year. But the horse really came into his own this year as a 3-year-old. The horse looks a lot better as a 3-year-old than he did as a 2-year-old, and he showed it on the racetrack.

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