Jolie Laide reserved her best stride for the final as she took home the title of the $132,080 Horseshoe Indianapolis QHRAI Derby Final Thursday, June 19 to score her first stakes victory. Ridden by Eduardo Diaz, the Oklahoma bred filly covered the 400-yard dash amongst a competitive field in a time of :19.689. It was the richest purse offered in the 16-year history of the stakes.
Jolie Laide came into the final as the fourth fastest qualifier, scoring a victory in her trial. She loaded into post three for the final and had to fight for positioning early as Apolitical Wagon and Cristian Esqueda got the early lead from the outside. Jolie Laide inched her way up in mid-race and became a threat in the late stages, moving into the lead and fending off the late charge by Apolitical Wagon for the win. Runninagainstdwind and Martin Munoz, the fastest trial qualifier, finished third.
“The start was good but a little bit slow,” said Diaz through an interpreter. “In the end, it felt like I had a lot of horse left, and I finished strong. I got a lot of power in the end. I would like to thank my team (Eggleston barn), my brother (Edgar Diaz), and Rolando Pina for always supporting me.”
Jolie Laide paid $9.60 for the win. The home bred daughter of Big Lew is now five for 10 in her career. She more than doubled her career earnings with the victory and now has more than $137,000 for owner Doug Ruby. Tim Eggleston trains the now stakes winner.
“We bought her dam (Two Wines) out of a sale in Oklahoma and raced her in several of the New Mexico bred races at Ruidoso,” explained Ruby, who is based out of the Oklahoma City area. “Tim (Eggleston) has a half-brother to her, The Unsung Hero, and he will race in the Heartland Futurity Trials coming up.”
Jolie Laide is the first horse for the partnership of Eggleston and Ruby. She was sent to Tim last summer and fared well before returning to Remington Park earlier this year.
“We had her here last year, and she won the consolation of the SSA Futurity (QHRAI Stallion Service Auction),” said Eggleston. “We have had her back now since the trials. She is easy. She just stands there in the paddock and doesn’t move. She is easy to train, easy to work with in the barn, and easy to race. We will send her back to our farm for a little relaxation and then get her ready for the SSA Derby trials (in August).”
Jolie Laide is perfect in two starts this season at Horseshoe Indianapolis. She is part of the ever growing breeding operation by Ruby, a small animal veterinarian who serves on the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association board. His wife, Beth, is also a veterinarian.
“I’ve been following the business for a long time,” noted Dr. Ruby, who earned his veterinary degree from Oklahoma State University. “I had a friend who had horses and that’s how I got interested. I bought my first mare in 2015. Now, we have three brood mares and a few babies at our farm.”
Horseshoe Indianapolis is preparing for its second full day of Quarter Horse action Saturday, June 28. Trials for both the Heartland Futurity and Blue River Derby will be included on the card to set up the finals Saturday, July 19 during Quarter Horse Stakes Day with purses in excess of $500,000. Both programs begin at 10:45 a.m.
The 23rd season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing runs through Thursday, Nov. 13. For more information on racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find details on social media @HSIndyRacing.
