Ec Jet One brings momentum into South Florida Quarter Horse Derby
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
The 3-year-old colt Ec Jet One will try to complete a sensational 10-week stretch for himself and trainer Judd Kearl as the probable favorite in Sunday’s $204,265 South Florida Quarter Horse Derby at Hialeah Park.
The 440-yard race is the richest of six stakes on a 10-race program on the next-to-last day of Hialeah’s season and goes as race 9 at 4:35 p.m. Eastern.
Ec Jet One is unbeaten in three starts at the meet since late December, including a neck victory as the 8-5 favorite in the premier event of the season, the $390,935 Hialeah Derby on Jan. 17.
Kearl has already wrapped up his second consecutive training title at Hialeah, with 31 victories heading into the final four-day weekend, 11 ahead of runner-up Kalah Welch. Kearl’s horses have captured four stakes and finished a close second in three other stakes.
Ec Jet One, who will break from post 10 under Rodrigo Vallejo, won his qualifying heat but was only the fifth-fastest horse with his time of 21.41 seconds.
Ec Jet One’s chief competition will come from right next door in post 9. Favored Fire not only posted the fastest qualifying time of 21.27 seconds but led a heat in which all eight runners qualified for Sunday’s final. Although seeking his first stakes win, Favored Fire was second in last May’s Grade 3 Sam Houston Juvenile Challenge.
Ec Jet One’s uncoupled stablemate, Carters Sixty Six, merits respect. He was a troubled fourth as the 6-5 favorite in the trial heat won by Favored Fire and two starts ago won the 400-yard El Nino.
◗ Stablemates Daytona B and Moonin the Eagle are prime contenders in the $150,000 Sam Abbey Invitational at 440 yards.
The 5-year-old Daytona B, 4 for 6 lifetime at Hialeah, saw his three-race winning streak snapped when he hopped at the start and finished third in the 440-yard Sawgrass three weeks ago as the 1-5 favorite. Moonin the Eagle is 5 for 6 at Hialeah, including a win in the $204,310 Hialeah Maturity in his most recent start Jan. 17.
The field also includes Habits Secret, 2 for 2 after sitting out the 2015 season while standing at stud in Indiana, and the Kearl-trained Fly Thru the Fire, the winner of the 400-yard City of Hialeah a month ago in his first start since September.