Sent off as the longest shot on the board at 10-1 odds, EG High Desert Farms’ A Mere Felix scored the first victory of his career when he outdueled the Grade 1 stakes placed filly Geothermal in the $25,000 Pat Hyland Handicap on Sunday at Los Alamitos.
Ridden by Jonathan Roman for trainer Jesus Nunez, A Mere Felix broke sharply from post number two and quickly hooked up with Geothermal to fight for the early lead in the 350-yard race. The colt sired by Favorite Cartel came through in the end, pulling away in the final 100 yards to score a neck victory over Geothermal, who was the third place finisher in the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity in her last start. A Mere Felix covered the distance in :17.595.
A Mere Felix came into this race with some stakes experience of his own. The Jose Luis Gonzalez-bred runner finished sixth in the $385,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity in his previous start and before that he was second in his Governor’s Cup Futurity trial and also Ed Burke Million Futurity trial.
“This is the first time that’s he’s really taken off right from the start,” said Enrique Gonzalez of EG High Desert Farms. “He had run well before, but never like this. He had run greenly in previous starts. He did everything right this time. He was fortunate that he had a nice clean break and Jonathan did a great job riding him. I’m happy with the entire team. Trainer Jesus Nunez has done a great job for me this year. I’ve been very pleased with Nunez and his entire team.”
A Mere Felix is out of the A Classic Dash mare A Mere Classic. She’s been an outstanding producer for the past decade. Her sons have included Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby winner A Mere Chocolate and Grade 3 stakes winner A Mere Flash. She’s also produced stakes winners A Mere Ritz and A Mere Dynasty and the Grade 1 finalist A Mere Special. A Mere Felix earned $13,750 for the win to take his career earnings to $33,850.
Parsons Ranch’s Geothermal earned $5,625 for running second to take her lifetime earnings to $135,710. Eduardo Nicasio piloted the Parsons Rock filly for trainer Chris O’Dell. She’s finished in the money in all four of her career starts.
Martha Wells’ Tell Cartel finished third and was followed across the wire by Calida and Lady Six Sky. Furyofthehuracan and Circle City were scratched.
-30-