Beach First gets to the wire first in Blue River Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis

Beach First may have been the last name called in the late stages, but he was the first to get to the wire in the 400-yard $127,700 Blue River Derby Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

It was a nice homecoming present for jockey Leonardo Rodriguez, who returned for the first time since launching his career in Indiana in 2018 when he rode for trainer John McCreary, who is now retired from racing.

Beach First (main photo, left) began from post nine and was not in the mix early as several horses swapped out time as the leader in the early stages. AP Political Patriot and Jose Ruiz, winner of the QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Futurity last year as the first Graded Stakes for Indiana, had a short margin as did Torero Two and Manny Gutierrez from the center of the track.

Beach First found his best stride in the final stages for Rodriguez and began inching up as did CV Sky Kiss and Fernando Morin on the far outside. It was an extended photo finish, but the winner was Beach First by a neck in the six horse photo.

Drinkinatacartelbar and Daniel Martinez moved up on the inside of Beach First to finish second by a nose over Apollitical Mission and Rolando Pina.

Time of the dash was 20.376 seconds.

Beach First was one of three qualified for the final by trainer Tim Eggleston, paying $12.40 for the win. The sorrel son of Escondido Beach is owned by Gregg Farris, who greeted his horse in the winner’s circle with an emotional response.

“My Dad is at the house today and couldn’t be here,” said Farris. “We own these horses together, but he was just not able to be here. We found this colt in Michigan standing in a field up to his knees in mud. He has a toughness, and my dad will be so proud when he knows this horse won.”

As far as the reunion for Rodriguez (photo) in Indiana, it was a good fit for Eggleston to bring him back to ride several of his horses during the day, including Beach First. Rodriguez didn’t ride for Eggleston when he was previously in Indiana, but Eggleston knows the skill set of the young rider.

“I’ve known Leonardo (Rodriguez) since he was a little kid,” noted Eggleston. “I told Gregg (Farris) we were going to put Leonardo on to ride, and he said okay. Leonardo has been doing well in Louisiana, so it was time to bring him back.”

Rodriguez just completed the meet at Delta Downs as the leading jockey, scoring 49 wins for the title. He is the youngest of three brothers that ride, joining Everado and Jose in the saddle. The multiple Graded Stakes placed rider has catapulted to the top since leaving Indiana in 2019 and has been among the nation’s top 15 Quarter Horse jockeys the past two years.

“I’m happy and very glad to be back,” noted Rodriguez. “I want to thank John McCreary for giving me such a great start. I got a call from Tim (Eggleston) who needed another rider. Tim just told me to hang on and this horse (Beach First) will break and go. He stood well for me in the gate and was all business.”

Beach First is paid into the QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Futurity, most likely his next focus. Trials for the QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Futurity, a Restricted Grade 3 event, are set for the next all Quarter Horse Day on Aug. 9.

The final will be held Aug. 30 during a day featuring three stakes finals and trials for fall races on the docket in Indiana.

Gordon Mobley Futurity

First, there was Shakeitonthebeach, 2019 winner of the Gordon Mobley Futurity. Second, there was Botticelli Beach, 2021 winner of the Gordon Mobley Futurity. Now, there is CV Denali, the third foal from Sheri Miller’s mare Botticelli Shake to win the Gordon Mobley Futurity.

The two-year-old filly follows in the footsteps of her two older siblings to win the 16^th running of the $195,800 final running at a distance of 350 yards at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

CV Denali (photo) began from the outside post nine with Edgar Diaz in the saddle. The filly was in contention early with Lead Me to the Beach and Manny Gutierrez from the center of the track. Rock N the Beach and Rolando Pina were also alongside CV Denali to the inside chasing the lead.

As the race unfolded, CV Denali hit another gear and powered home to win by one-half length over Rock N the Beach. Lead Me to the Beach finished third.

CV Denali scored the third fastest trial time and was tagged as the favorite for the final, paying $5.00 for the win. The Escondido Beach freshman is owned by Campos Family Ventures, who renamed her to carry their farm name, CV, before her racing career began.

For trainer Claudio Barraza, it was his third win in the Mobley Futurity and his second straight win in back-to-back races, scoring the title last year with Zoomin Feature.

“My very first win in the Gordon Mobley was with Botticelli Beach, and she is a full sister to this filly (CV Denali),” noted Barraza. “When we saw this filly was available, we went and looked at her and picked her out as a baby. Both of these fillies have the same attitude and can be a little difficult. We waited for the trials to start her (CV Denali), and she put it together in the trials. I have to give credit to the guys in my barn. These guys put a lot of work in every day.”

CV Denali remains undefeated in two career starts. Her win in the Mobley Futurity Final puts her career earnings tally over the $125,000 mark.

For Campos Family Ventures, it was their sixth win of the season to move back into the lead among all Quarter Horse owners for 2025. Last year, they set several records for Quarter Horse owners, including most money earned in one season of $515,681 as well as most wins in one season with 17 trips to the winner’s circle.

Jaguar Rocket Futurity

Fresh off his win in the previous race with Heza Hawkeye, German Rodriguez made it a daily double by scoring the victory in the $134,200 Jaguar Rocket Futurity aboard his trainee Lets Get After It.

The two-year-old gelding surprised the field with a strong performance on the inside to take home the 23^rd title of the long-running stakes race in Indiana.

Lets Get After It (photo) was a second-place finisher in his trial and in the middle of the pack of the qualifiers into the Jaguar Rocket Futurity Final with the sixth fastest time. However, he was ready to roll when the gate opened. He traveled just off the early pace setter of Queenvn Chic and Fernando Morin before moving up in the final strides, posting the half-length victory at the wire in 18.007.

Kiss a Favorite, the quickest in the trials, closed quickly at the end to finish second by a nose for Martin Munoz over Queenvn Chic.

“When he drew the one (post), I was afraid of that,” admitted Rodriguez. “But I knew in the schooling races he (Lets Get After It) ran really good in the one hole. And we drew next to the fast one of Giovanni Vazquez and Jessica Vazquez. Their horse [Cowgirl Beach] is really fast in the beginning so I thought hooking up early, he (Lets Get After It) would be able to run against him. You draw next to a fast one, you wanna run faster. He’s a little Seabiscuit. Put a horse next to him eye to eye and he’s gonna beat them.”

Lets Get After It paid $41.80 for the win. The Indiana bred son of Tarzanito is owned by Brian Chavez, who is in his first season as an owner and earned his first stakes win and only his second career trip to the winner’s circle. Keith Bode bred and raised the gelding, who is out of their mare KT Perry.

Earlier in the program, KT Perry had another two-year-old competitor on the card in Too Much Corona 23, also trained by German Rodriguez.

“I’ve always had a lot of confidence in this team,” noted Chavez. “I’m so proud of all of them. I’m at a loss for words right now.”

Heartland Futurity

Heza Hawkeye turned in the fastest time for the trial and carried his speed over to the final to win the $172,480 Heartland Futurity at Horseshoe Indianapolis 

Heza Hawkeye (photo) was one of the first to get out of the gate and quickly established himself as a front runner in the stakes race from post seven. The freshman gelding used his quick foot to take control early in the 350-yard dash for jockey-trainer German Rodriguez.

Heza Hawkeye continued to show his power in the final stages, moving out to a three-quarters of a length advantage at the wire, winning in 17.713. WR Hott Shott and Eduardo Diaz held their ground inside for second over Roses After Midnight and Fernando Morin, who closed for third.

Heza Hawkeye surprisingly was not the favorite, paying $8.00 for the win. The son of Hawkeye is owned by Chavez Racing, managed by Roberto Chavez. He was initially purchased for $8,500 by the Rodriguez group from the Texas Quarter Horse Association Yearling Sale last fall.

“This horse arrived right at my house,” recalled Chavez. “I bought a pony in Houston and this horse [Heza Hawkeye] came along with him. Geraldo Rodriguez told me, ‘Hey I got a horse in the trailer you gotta look at,’ and that’s how I bought the horse. And I paid $8,500, a pretty cheap price. But I bought him right at my house. German [Rodriguez] and his team have done a great job with him. And of course, I appreciate Horseshoe Indianapolis for letting us run. I appreciate all that showed up today to support Heza Hawkeye.”

A large group was on hand to greet Rodriguez and Heza Hawkeye in the winner’s circle. For Rodriguez, it was a first for the state of Indiana as he earned his first stakes win as a trainer and a jockey. Rodriguez, who has several stakes wins to his credit, began training earlier this year and is only the second jockey-trainer combination in recent years to oversee both duties for his stable.

“I connected with Roberto (Chavez) in September, and we have been working together since then,” noted Rodriguez. “This horse is a little difficult to deal with. He’s a pain in my butt, but it shows the work was worth it. His first out wasn’t good, but his second out, he did his job. Now, he knows what he is supposed to do. I’m very honored to be working with Roberto and this horse.”

Heza Hawkeye is part of the third crop by Texas stallion Hawkeye, who was the second-leading second crop-sire last year. The gelding wasn’t a favorite of Rodriguez at the start, but he changed his mind quickly when the horse began to show talent.

“I looked at him and didn’t like him,” admitted Rodriguez in a previous interview while at the Texas sale. “But I walked in the barn one day and he was in the barn, so I said ‘well, let’s go.’ He is tough, but I told Chris Duke, who has Hawkeye Vision (also by Hawkeye and competed in the $1.1 million Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park earlier this year) this hot guy (Heza Hawkeye) is something else. I told him since the beginning when we broke him, he was good.”

The 23^rd season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing runs through Nov. 13.

For more information on racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find details on social media @HSIndyRacing.

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