ONE STOLIN EAGLE STEALS AWAY TO VICTORY IN GRADE 2 $58,000 SLM BIG DADDY STAKES FOR JOCKEY ERIK ESQUEDA, TRAINER JOSE VILLAFRANCO

By Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – March 17, 2024 – One Stolin Eagle won his fourth race in a row, taking the Grade 2 $58,000 SLM Big Daddy Stakes on Saturday night, and is unbeaten after two starts at 550 yards.

Erik Esqueda was an extremely confident rider when asked about his 4-year-old gelding’s easy win by 1-1/4 lengths in the SLM Big Daddy. He won his previous race at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla., trying 550 yards for the first time and winning by daylight in 2-1/4 lengths there.

“I felt like we would win even though it was a tough field,” said Esqueda, who had two trips to the winner’s circle on Saturday night and moved into a tie for third place in the jockeys’ standings with Francisco Calderon, each with five wins this meet. “I knew he was going to get up there (for first).”

One Stolin Eagle battled up front with 3-5 favorite nearly the entire journey and prevailed by open daylight at the end at 9-1 odds. He paid $21.80 to win, $7 to place and $4.60 to show.

The gelded son of One Fabulous Eagle, out of the Stoli mare Stolin Sign, earned $34,530 from the purse for owner Francisco Lopez of Oklahoma City. He improved his career running line to 13 starts, four wins, three seconds and five thirds to put a total of $79,662 into his wallet. A whopping $46,006 of that has come in his two starts at 550 yards.

Lopez was thrilled beyond words with the win.

“We bought him at the Heritage Place September Yearling Sale (in 2021 for $20,000) and he was our first horse. It’s been nothing but happiness. We have a great team and I just want to thank God for everything.”

Trainer Jose Villafranco feels like he struck gold by putting this horse on the path of 550-yard races.

“I told our owner that we should try him at 550 yards and he was a little worried about that,” said Villafranco. “But he won at Will Rogers and then he proved it again tonight.”

One Stolin Eagle covered the distance in 26.772 seconds for a speed index of 106. No Lawyer Butt could never get to him or close ground after the winner took the lead, but he was another half-length in front of third-place finisher Volcoms Favorite (12-1). The rest of the finish looked like this: Jk Zipper (17-1) fourth, O Donovan Rossa (5-2) fifth, Lillie Langtry (47-1) sixth, Rock Ya Later (70-1) seventh, We Call Him Joneson (78-1) eighth, Jess an American (17-1) ninth and Rb Ec Mystery Zoom (48-1) 10^th.

One Stolin Eagle was bred in Oklahoma by Darling Farms. It was the first win in this stakes series for all the connections.

Live racing resumes Sunday with a 4 p.m. first post time with 10 races on tap.

•••••
Remington Park has provided more than $345 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District, Remington Park presents simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. The 83^rd edition of the historic Oklahoma Futurity, first contested in 1947, will be run Saturday, March 23. The American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season continues through June 1. Parking and admission are always free. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.