The ever-popular Spokane Eagle comes back six days after being claimed

CYPRESS, Calif. – Spokane Eagle has won 8 of 22 starts in his career for nine different trainers. This is what racing is like for the popular 5-year-old who has been claimed nine times in his last 14 starts.

Spokane Eagle was claimed for $40,000 by trainer Doug O’Neill on behalf of Mike Sisk at Del Mar on Aug. 31, the day the gelding won a six-furlong race by three lengths. O’Neill knew Spokane Eagle. He trained him for three starts in the spring.

“He ran so big the other day,” O’Neill said on Wednesday. “He ran huge and came out in great shape.

Spokane Eagle will have his first start for O’Neill since May on Friday in an allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option at Los Alamitos. Friday’s program is the first day of the Los Angeles County Fair meeting, which runs through Sept. 22.

Spokane Eagle is available to be claimed for $62,500, if there are takers willing to pay a premium. This will be Spokane Eagle’s 10th start of the year, which includes two wins at Santa Anita and two at the Del Mar summer meeting.

“He tries hard,” O’Neill said. “He’s a horse that has speed and heart.”

Spokane Eagle has won three of his last four starts and will be popular with bettors in Friday’s race, which drew a field of five. Spokane Eagle, who will be ridden by Agapito Delgadillo, is tactical and can lead or stalk the pace.

McKale, trained by Bob Baffert, is quick enough to set the pace. He won an optional claimer at six furlongs here in July and was fourth in an optional claimer at Del Mar on Aug. 18.

Seven Scents, who drew the rail for Friday, was entered in the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 25, but was scratched in favor of this race. Seven Scents ran twice at Los Alamitos last September, winning a maiden special weight race at a mile and finishing second to Galilean in the Barretts Juvenile at 6 1/2 furlongs.