BP CARTEL POLICY HAS TOP TIME TO THE WINTER DERBY FINAL
Bill Price’s BP Cartel Policy entered the trials to the Grade 1 $174,200 Los Alamitos Winter Derby in sharp form.
The gelding by Favorite Cartel had posted a strong gate work in preparation for this heat and the homework paid off, as he left the gate in good form and eventually took the lead in route to a ¾ length victory in the 400-yard dash. The Oklahoma homebred would go on to score the fastest qualifying time to the Winter Derby final to be held on Saturday, February 17.
With Armando Cervantes up for trainer Monty Arrossa, BP Cartel Policy (left) covered the distance in :19.861 to record his second win in eight career starts. His first victory also came in a trial at Remington Park when he qualified to the Heritage Place Futurity on May 15.
BP Cartel Policy was making his third start at Los Alamitos after running second in his local debut in an allowance event on October 21. He then ran fourth in trial to the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. Gelded after that trial outing, BP Cartel Policy delivered a 220-yard gate work on January 6. Using a flipping halter in the work, he stood perfectly and came away cleanly. He drifted in during the work, but he had his mojo back to his spring form. BP Cartel Policy is out of Price’s CC Policy, a grade stakes winner who earned over $85,000 in her 17-race career. She won the first three starts of her career, all at Remington Park, including the Oklahoma Futurity in 2007. Price campaigned CC Policy.
A native of Oklahoma, Price has raised and raced many big stars. His top horses have included A Real Man, the AQHA 3-year-old champion in 2002. He also owned Southern Cartel, the winner of the 2003 Ruidoso Derby and a finalist for the All American Derby. BP Cartel Policy will now look to become Price’s next big Grade 1 winner.
Juniors Quarter Horse Inc’s Ready For It also returned to his winning form to score a victory in the second trial of the night. With Cervantes up for Arrossa, Ready For It posted a ¾ length win in a time of :19.924. This was his first visit to the winner’s circle since the California Breeders Freshman Stakes last July. Similar to BP Cartel Policy, Ready For It had previously recorded a gate work here at 220 yards in :12.3 on January 6.
Dunn Ranch’s Luxury Brand won the third trial in a time of :19.97. He was also ridden by Cervantes for Arrossa. Here’s the complete list of qualifiers to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby: BP Cartel Policy :19.861, Ready For It :19.924, Luxury Brand :19.973, Kickin Famous :19.976, Optical Illusion :20.021, Angel Soul :20.052, Rockin With Energy :20.130, Roar Like A Lion :20.156, Just Watch Her :20.285, and Boardwalk :20.321.
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