Full Boogie battles to wire in Escondido Beach Overnight Stakes at Horseshoe Indianapolis

Full Boogie was in full gear in the final strides of the second running of the $34,000 Escondido Beach Overnight Stakes Wednesday taking home the title at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Ridden by L. Daniel Martinez, the sorrel speedster earned his first win of 2025, and his second stakes win for his connections.

Full Boogie barreled out of the gate from post 10 and was in the middle of the pack as After School and Alberto Ceron had a short lead in the center of the track. Full Boogie’s stablemate, Relentlessly Special, was also in contention from the inside for jockey German Rodriguez.

As the 350-yard dash reached the halfway point, After School was still the one to catch, but that soon changed. The final eight strides of the race turned the tables in Full Boogie’s favor as the gelding battled to the wire for the win by three-quarters of a length.

Relentlessly Special closed on the inside for second over De Elegant AJ and Eduardo Diaz from the outside closing for third.

Full Boogie was a moderate upset, paying $12.80 for the win. The son of Tempting Dash is owned by LC Racing and trained by Tony Cunningham. He now has five career wins and boosted his career earnings tally to more than $136,000 with the win in the Escondido Beach Overnight Stakes.

Full Boogie had an interesting path to Indiana. He began his racing career at two at Remington Park followed by a couple of trial bids at Ruidoso Downs before venturing to Lone Star, where he was claimed. After making two more starts he headed to Indiana, sweeping the QHRAI Derby Trials and Final during last year’s Indiana Champions Day.

He was acquired by his new connections following his last start in the Bradford Stakes, making his debut for them in the Escondido Beach Overnight Stakes a winning venture.

The race is named in honor of Indiana’s longtime standout Quarter Horse stallion Escondido Beach, who passed away at the age of 20 earlier this summer. The multiple Indiana Quarter Horse Stallion of the Year honoree for Glen, Sheri, and Katie Miller has produced some of the state’s top sprinters over the past decade, including Beach Cartel, Beach Mercedes, HH CJ Shake, Beach Blast, Beach Treat, and Stone Lake, who was conditioned by Cunningham.

He added a new record to his already impressive credentials last fall when his son, Nitro Beach, was sold for $130,000 at the Heritage Place September Yearling Sale, marking the highest selling Indiana sired foal ever. His daughters are already making their mark in the state as brood mares with his legacy carrying on through them for Indiana Quarter Horse racing.

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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