Eagle Coast captures Rainbow Derby

Eagle Coast, the winner of the $344,250 Hobbs America Futurity at Zia Park last fall, won his 3-year-old stakes debut in Saturday’s $1,008,129 Rainbow Derby for Quarter Horses at Ruidoso Downs.

The second choice in a field of 10, Eagle Coast ($7.60) led throughout under jockey Sergio Becerra, Jr., and won by a neck over 31-1 Five Bar Stoli, the longest shot in the field. Apocalyptical Jess, the 11-10 favorite, finished third, a neck behind Five Bar Stoli, after a clean trip from the outside post.

Apocalyptical Jess, the champion 2-year-old gelding of 2018, won the $1 million Ruidoso Derby on June 8. His loss on Saturday ended any chance of a $1 million bonus for sweeping the Ruidoso, Rainbow and All American derbies. The All American Derby will be run on Sept. 1.

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Eagle Coast was timed in 21.29 seconds for 440 yards. A gelding by One Dashing Eagle, Eagle Coast has won 5 of 11 starts and earned $663,103 for owner Ernesto Palacio and trainer Jose Muela.

This was Eagle Coast’s fourth appearance in a stakes final. He was third in the $269,528 West Texas Futurity at Sunland Park in April 2018 and second in the $150,000 Southwest Juvenile Championship at Zia Park last December.

Earlier this year, Eagle Coast was fifth in a division of the Ruidoso Derby trials on May 26 in his 2019 debut and won a division of the Rainbow Derby trials on July 7.