WAMBUI IS THE MISS PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT AT LOS ALAMITOS
The connections of owner Ed Allred, trainer Scott Willoughby and jockey Victor Salazar swept the stakes races over the weekend at Los Alamitos.
The trio joined forces to win the Grade 2, $45,000 Miss Princess Handicap with favorite Wambui on Sunday night after scoring in the $30,000 La Pacifica Handicap with Chance It Now on Saturday. For Salazar, the victory continues his hot streak at Los Alamitos, as he has now won 10 Quarter Horse races since April 7, the most by any rider during that span.
It was a hard-earned win for the Favorite Cartel mare Wambui in the Miss Princess for fillies and mares. Leaving the gate from post three, the 4-year-old brushed at the start but took the lead shortly after that. She had a couple of rivals breathing down her neck the entire way before crossing the wire a head in front of Martha Wells’ homebred Fayvorite Chick with Allred’s Registrant running third. Wambui and Fayvorite Chick finished one-two in a stakes race for second time since April 11. On that date, Wambui outdueled Fayvorite Chick by a neck to win the New Moon Stakes.
Allred purchased Wambui for $50,000 from the consignment of Dr. Steve Burns at the 2018 Los Alamitos Equine Sale. A winner of $24,582 during the first two years of her racing career, Wambui has developed into one of the top mares on the grounds in 2021. She earned $24,750 in this race alone and has now earned $48,300 this season. A winner of six of 16 career starts, Wambui’s total bankroll now stands at $72,882. The mare enjoyed some time off between March and December of last year and she’s come back refreshed and at the top of her game with four wins from five starts since then.
“Ever since we brought her back, she’s just getting better each time we start her,” Willoughby said. “Victor did a great job with her and she’s just getting stronger. She ran a heck of a race tonight. The other filly, Registrant, ran a great race for being a 3-year-old against older mares. I’m really proud of both of them.”
Wambui covered the 350 yards in :17.66.
“It was a tough race, but we have the good luck of getting to the finish line first,” Salazar added.
Ridden by Armando Cervantes for trainer Matt Fales, the Favorite Cartel mare Fayvorite Chick earned $10,125 for running second. Jesus Rios Ayala rode the Kiddy Up filly Registrant to a third-place finish for Allred and Willoughby. She earned $5,625 for her third-place finish. All Prettied Up, Victorioso Dinastia, and Favorite Horizonte completed the field.
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