AQHA CHAMPION GOLDEN BOI IMPRESSIVE AGAIN, WINS EL PRIMERO FINAL
M&G Farms’ homebred Golden Boi, the 2021 AQHA champion 2-year-old colt, looks prime and ready for a big sophomore campaign after running down the talented Whizkey Glasses in the final 100 yards to win the Grade 2, $215,000 El Primero Del Año Derby on Sunday at Los Alamitos.
Golden Boi came out on top in this matchup of Grade 1 futurity winners from a year ago, as he once again displayed his big time, late running power to win by a head over the quick-starting Whizkey Glasses in the 400-yard derby. A colt by Favorite Cartel and out of the mare Logans Dash, Golden Boi was fifth at the start from post number eight before gained speed at the midway point and then flying to the finish line to score his sixth win in eight career starts. The California-bred, who won the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity last year, earned $90,300 for the win to take his career earnings to $583,491.
Ridden by Ruben Lozano and trained by Valentin Zamudio, Golden Boi came into this race after posting the fastest qualifying time to the El Primero back on March 6. That race was his first start since his connections got a big scare when the horse became ill shortly after winning his trial to the Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity last October. Golden Boi did not compete in the Golden State Million final and instead was taken to a clinic as he recovered from a stomach ailment. After thorough medical care and examination, Golden Boi returned to Los Alamitos earlier this year to begin preparing for his 3-year-old campaign.
“It was tough not to be a part of the Golden State Million because we felt that we had the horse to compete in the race with,” Zamudio said. “At the same time, the most important thing was to save the horse. Fortunately, he’s now returned to racing and that’s a blessing for us. When he got sick on us, I never thought about the Golden State Million from that point on. We were nervous.
“We wanted to run in the trials to the Los Alamitos Winter Derby, but we wanted to make sure that the horse was at 100 percent. At that point maybe we could have pushed him, but we still didn’t feel like he was ready, so we decided to wait. We felt good about his El Primero trial. He needed the race; he was ready for the race. Tonight was tougher but we always knew that he could run at the end of races. I think he’s going to keep improving. I think his next races he’ll be even better now that he’s got two races under him after what happened to him.”
Golden Boi will now take things easy according to Zamudio before he is shipped to Ruidoso Downs. At the New Mexico track, he’ll be pointed to the Rainbow Derby and the All American Derby before returning for the Los Alamitos Super Derby.
Lozano, the track’s leading Quarter Horse jockey last year, came away impressed with Golden Boi’s fighting spirit.
“He didn’t break as strong as he did in the trials, but I knew I had a lot of horse,” he said. “The number 10 horse (Tip Ofmy Tongue) left the gate really well and then I saw Whizkey Glasses on the inside. In the final 50, that’s when we got then and won it at the wire. (Golden Boi) started going at the midway point of the race, but they were still ahead of us. It was in the final yards that we caught up to them. I felt good when we crossed the finish line, but nothing is for sure until you see your number on the toteboard. The horse warmed up great. He did everything great and behaved well in the starting gates. He has returned like nothing has happened and has done everything right.”
M&G Farms, owned by the Montano Gamez family, first made a splash at Los Alamitos with Governor’s Cup Futurity winner Constituent in 2020. Over the past two years, it’s been Golden Boi who has taken M&G Farms to graded stakes victories.
“I’ve been going to the horses when we started at Hialeah Park when I was seven or eight,” said 17-year-old Johanna Montano Gamez, who often serves as the spokesperson for the family. “It’s now crazy to come to these bigger places and getting to do interviews like this. We have grown a lot. We are in a lot of places. Even back home I have my own horse and I take him out to ride.”
Whizkey Glasses and Tip Ofmy Tongue finished second and third, respectively,for their owner/breeder Dunn Ranch. Whizkey Glasses, who won the Golden State Million, earned $36,550 for running second, while Tip Ofmy Tongue picked up a check for $25,800 for running third. Jesus Rios Ayala was aboard the FDD Dynasty gelding Whizkey Glasses, while Eduardo Nicasio rode Tip Ofmy Tongue, who is a gelding by Moonin The Eagle. Both runners were trained by Monty Arrossa.
The top three finishers were followed across the wire by Dasha Good Reason, Knockout Cartel, Favorite Honey, Watch Out, Hallelujah Nights and Insider Information. Rocket Seventeen was scratched from the El Primero.
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