SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024) — Highest Memories elevated his game Wed. Sept. 11 in the 24^th running of the Empire Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Guided for the first time by Luis Fuentes, the Indiana gelding rallied home for the win by open lengths in a time of 1:45.49 for the one and one-sixteenth mile route race.
 
Highest Memories and Fuentes began from post seven and used some early speed, seeking a good position near the front of the pack. CJ’s Storm and Evin Roman moved just a little quicker to eventually scoot over to the inside and take control of the field in the first turn. Highest Memories stablemate Bluegrass Prayer and Manny Esquivel also left with authority to sit to the outside of CJ’s Storm during the early stages of the race. Highest Memories settled in along the outside behind Bluegrass Prayer.
 
Heading into the far turn, Fuentes, moved Highest Memories three wide and began to move in on the top horses. When the field came out of the turn, Track Announcer John G. Dooley noted he was making three-path progress.
 
Highest Memories had inherited a short lead from CJ’s Storm at the top of the stretch. CJ’s Storm was not backing down. The two horses began to battle in the early part of the stretch. As the wire neared, Highest Memories was able to pull away from his opponents for the win by more than two lengths. Mr Chaos and Orlando Mojica moved up for second, grabbing the place spot from Hobnobin General and Rodney Prescott, who closed quickly for third.
 
“He (Highest Memories) is a classy horse and Tim (Eggleston) told me he had speed,” said Fuentes. “We warmed up without the pony and that helped. We laid right off the pace and at the three-eighths, I asked him. I waited as long as I could before we started advancing. I want to thank Tim (Eggleston) and the owner (Randy Burkett) for this opportunity.”
 
Highest Memories was overlooked at the betting windows, paying $21.20 for the win. The four-year-old son of Santiva is owned by breeder Randy Burkett and trained by Tim Eggleston. It was his largest win to date and his second in a row, making him five for 14 during his career. The Indiana sired gelding now has more than $170,000 on his card.
 
“He’s been a good horse for us all summer,” noted Eggleston. “He’s a fun horse to work with. We plan to keep him here and race him.”
 
Eggleston brought Fuentes in from Canterbury Park in Minnesota to ride Tiz Bayou and Highest Memories in both handicaps on the day. The multiple stakes winning jockey is currently leading the standings at Canterbury. A native of El Paso, Texas, he followed his father, Miguel, and his brothers into the business as a jockey. He also has a leading jockey title to his credit from Sunland Park in New Mexico prior to his success in Minnesota at Canterbury Park.
 
The 22^nd season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing extends through Thursday, Nov. 14. Racing is held at 2:10 p.m. Monday through Thursday. One additional all-Quarter Horse racing day is set for 10:45 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. For more information on live racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find the track on Social Media @HSIndyRacing.