LARC NEWS Posted: 10/6/2024 1:01:43 AM

AMERICAN DREAMIN WITH A DREAM PERFORMANCE

WHILE POSTING TOP QUALIFYING TIME TO GOLDEN STATE FUTURITY

         Dunn Ranch has had a dream season in futurity finals at Los Alamitos. The Oklahoma-based racing operation has won the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity and the Grade 2 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity with the unbeaten filly Up To Party here.

Dunn Ranch will now have one of the big favorites in the Grade 1, $1,073,800 Golden State Million Futurity after American Dreamin (left) dominated the sixth of 12 trials to the 400-yard race in route to posting what was far and away the fastest qualifying time of the night.

Ridden by Armando Cervantes for trainer Monty Arrossa, American Dreamin totally dominated her trial, as she flew out of the gate from post number seven, pulling away from her rivals in a flash and then cruising to a 2 ½ length victory in the top time of :19.661. Her qualifying time was 22/100ths of a second faster than then next fastest qualifier, Caliche Walls Venture LLC’s Lethal Cowboy 123.

American Dreamin has won both of her starts at Los Alamitos after racing third in her trials to the Rainbow Futurity and All American Futurity in New Mexico. Bred in Oklahoma by Dunn Ranch, American Dreamin in the daughter of Apollitical Blood and out of the Kentucky-bred mare Sweet 16. From the Gentry Family racing stock, Sweet 16 is a stakes placed mare out of the multiple graded stakes winner and $320,000 earner Fovee.

          American Dreamin did a fine job stepping in to fill the vacancy left by Up To Party in the Dunn Ranch lineup for these trials. The outstanding Up To Party skipped these trials to wait for the trials to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity in late November.

          “They started her in Oklahoma, and they really liked her over there,” Arrossa said. “I took her to Ruidoso and she was kind of a little slow to mature. We brought her here to Los Al and she really likes it here. We put a work in her and she did well. We ran her in a maiden, and she didn’t break very good but won the maiden race and was super impressive and has done fantastic between that maiden race and these trials. Tonight, she beat the gates open and put it on them. She ran a perfect race. I think they need a race here, specially under the lights. It’s critical. It’s a different atmosphere here at night, a different environment. Definitely the experience over the racetrack helps.”

          Trainer Marc Jungers enjoyed an evening to remember on Saturday night, not only at Los Alamitos but also at Lone Star Park. At the Texas track located in Grand Prairie, Texas, Jungers saddled Grade 1 Los Alamitos Oaks winner Asscher to a dead-heat victory in the Dash For Cash Derby. About an hour later, Jungers’ trainee, Lethal Cowboy 123 (right), posted a 1 ¾ length victory in the seventh trial while posting the second fastest qualifying time of :19.88. Ridden by James Flores for Caliche Walls Venture LLC, Lethal Cowboy 123 was picking up his third victory in five starts. His previous two wins included a maiden victory and a trial win to the Rainbow Futurity at Ruidoso Downs. He also ran second in his trial to the All American Futurity. Bred in California by Veronica Gail Kawananakoa, Lethal Cowboy 123 is a gelding by Flying Cowboy 123 out of the two-time winner Pretty Lethal.

          Joshua Owens’ Big Bang Rocket (photo below) posted the third fastest qualifying time after a strong takeoff followed by great acceleration on the way to winning the fourth trial of the night. The Eddie Willis-trainee took advantage of his local experience as he came into these trials after earning his maiden victory here on September 7. From there, he won his trial by a neck in a time of :19.962. Bred by McColee Land & Livestock LLC, Big Bang Rocket is a Utah-bred gelding by Apollitical Jess out of the graded stakes placed mare and $134,745 earner Budder Think Twice. Oscar Peinado has piloted Bing Bang Rocket in both of his Southern California victories.

          “They said he was a little problem when I got him here, but he’s done everything really good here,” Willis said. “I’m proud that he’s doing as well as he is. He runs really good down the track. When he won the maiden, he did the same thing. Tonight, he did it again. He’s doing good so far.”

          Dunn Ranch had another homebred deliver a strong trial performance courtesy of Blood Viper, who ran second to Big Bang Rocket in the fourth. Blood Viper’s time of :20.008 was the fourth fastest of the night. Just like American Dreamin, Blood Viper was sired by Apollitical Blood. The Oklahoma-bred gelding is out of royally bred Tres Sea, who is half-sister to AQHA champions Ocean Runaway and Wave Carver. Armando Cervantes piloted Blood Viper for trainer Monty Arrossa.

          Johnny Trotter’s Cartel Perry, a strong performer in major futurity trials in New Mexico this summer, was a sharp winner of race number three. The son of Mr Jess Perry out of Famous Cartel Lady, who is a half-sister to the AQHA champion One Famous Eagle, the Texas-bred Cartel Perry won his trial by a ½ length for trainer Chris O’Dell. Eduardo Nicasio piloted the Trotter-bred colt in a time of :20.031, which was the fifth fastest clocking of the night.  

          Steve Burns and Mike Casselman’s Competent, a finalist to the Governor’s Cup Futurity, advanced to his second futurity final after running third in the same trial as Big Bang Rocket and Blood Viper. The Burns-bred runner is a colt by Seperate Interest and was ridden by Jesus Rios Ayala and saddled by Casselman. He finished with the sixth fastest qualifying time of :20.075.

          Licon Farm and Ranch LLC’s Apolitical Chilitas was second to Cartel Perry, but her time of :20.105 was good enough to earn her the seventh fastest clocking. Apolitical Chilitas won her Ruidoso Futurity trial, but this will be her first final. Bred by Omar Paredes, Apolitical Chilitas is by Apollitical Jess and out of Mary Me Anna. She was purchased for $100,000 at the Ruidoso Sale last year.

          The final three qualifiers are also California based standouts in Reliance Ranches’ Snow Bound, Buckway Ranch’s Ultimate Battle and EG High Desert Farms’ Favorite Jesshawk. Snow Bound, who finished with the eighth fastest time, is now a three-time futurity finalist after also qualifying to the Governor’s Cup and the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity. Second to top qualifier American Dreamin, Snow Bound is by Favorite Cartel and is a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner BH Lisas Boy. Also sired by Favorite Cartel, Ultimate Battle proved himself to be an ultimate gamer, as he bumped at the start, was seventh early on before flying late to win his trial by a ½ length in the ninth fastest time. Like Snow Bound, Ultimate Battle is now a three-time futurity finalist after previously running second in the Ed Burke Million and PCQHRA Breeders Futurity – both times to Up To Party.

          Favorite Jesshawk, winner of the Governor’s Cup Futurity, was second to Lethal Cowboy 123, but he’ll have his rematch after earning the 10th and final spot to the Golden State Million. Trained by Jesus Nunez and ridden by Ricardo Ramirez, Favorite Jesshawk is a colt by freshman sire A Mere Felix.

          The complete list of qualifiers is as follows: American Dreamin (:19.661), Lethal Cowboy 123 (:19.886), Big Bang Rocket (:19.962), Blood Viper (:20.008), Cartel Perry (:20.031), Competent (:20.075),  Apollitical Chilitas (:20.105), Snow Bound (:20.132), Ultimate Battle (:20.137), Favorite Jesshawk (:20.139).

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