HES RELENTESS AND CORONA CARTEL COLTS, ONE SWEET JESS FILLY
AMONG EARLY JUVENILE STANDOUTS AT LOS ALAMITOS
Now that the initial 10 races of the season for 2-year-olds are in the books at Los Alamitos, many young standouts have started to show themselves at the Orange County oval thanks to their impressive debut performances.
One of the most eye-catching runners so far is the John Cooper-trained Hes Chickless, who was simply outstanding in winning Saturday’s eighth race by a length. Racing from post number one for owner and co-breeder Jeryl Hartley, Hes Chickless covered the distance in :12.012 while leading for every step during the 220-yard race. His winning time is not only the fastest so far this season at 220 yards, it’s also 6/100ths faster than last year’s best clocking at this distance of :12.074 set by the then 2-year-old Cumbia on May 14.
“What impressed even before this win was how professional he looked in the second half of his morning gate work on March 19,” said Jose Contreras, the racing analyst on TVG’s The Quarters. “He had the fastest of 32 works (:12.30) on that morning and he just looked ready for his debut.”
A sorrel colt by AQHA champion Hes Relentess and out of the multiple stakes placed mare Chickitita, Hes Chickless is eligible to compete in all the major futurities at Los Alamitos this season, including the Lo Alamitos Two Million Futurity and Golden State Million Futurity. He’s also eligible to next year’s Los Alamitos Super Derby.
Owned and bred by Lex Fabrizio, the One Sweet Jess filly One Sweet Duck also posted a wire-to-wire victory when making her racing debut in the seventh race on Saturday. Ridden by Armando Cervantes for trainer Monty Arrossa, One Sweet Duck cruised late to win by ¾ lengths while posting a time of :12.213. Her dam, Duck Dash N Go, won 18 races, multiple stakes, and earned over $163,000 in her career.
Looking back at the races from Saturday, March 26 and Keith Nellesen’s Muy Bien Corona certainly caught the eye in his racing debut. The McColee Land & Livestock LLC-bred colt by Corona Cartel was tremendous in this win, taking early control of the race and flying to a ¾ length win and a time of :12.125.
Both One Sweet Duck and Muy Bien Corona are eligible to race in the trials to the Grade 2 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity to be held here on Sunday, April 24.
Races for 2-year-old Quarter Horse sprinters are in full swing at Los Alamitos. Get an early look at the stars of tomorrow here by viewing their preparatory morning gate drills shown at LosAlamitos.com. Here’s the direct link to the video workouts page (https://www.losalamitos.com/Workouts.aspx?id=3). For more info call 714-820-2690.
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