RUIDOSO, N.M. - Trainer Tony Sedillo has been involved in the sport of horse racing since he was a teenager growing up in Albuquerque, N.M.
On Monday afternoon, he realized one of his dreams when Imperial Eagle rallied to win the Grade 1, 440-yard, $3 million All American Futurity for two-year-old quarter horses at Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino in front of 24,515 fans.
"I started crying the final 100 yards of the race, it's an emotional time for me," the 58-year-old Sedillo said. "My two biggest supporters, my mom (Christine) and my dad (Leddie) always encouraged me, always told me I'd win this race one day. I've had a couple of horses in this race before but it didn't go as well as we'd hoped with them, they had problems. There were no problems for Imperial Eagle. He came back from the trials for this race and he was in good shape. He was fantastic. Everyone involved in quarter horse racing wants to win this race. It feels good."
Imperial Eagle won the race in a time of 21.478 seconds, edging The Marfa Lights by a neck. Fifty-eight-year-old jockey Larry Payne was looking for his first-ever All American Futurity win with The Marfa Lights. Coronas First Diva also ran a good race and ran third. Imperial Eagle, who has now won four of six starts, earned $1,500,000
for owner Charles Robinson of Southern Pines, N.C. Imperial Eagle was
the post time favorite and returned $8 to win, $4.40 to place and $3.60
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