STANLEY CARTEL GETS HIS DERBY WIN, TAKES THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DERBY
Racing for Dunn Ranch and Weetona Stanley, the superb colt Stanley Cartel won the Grade 2, $157,400 Southern California Derby in style, as he took the lead shortly after the start and then pulled away from two-time derby winner SC Time To Run at the midway point to score a half-length victory in the 400-yard race on Sunday at Los Alamitos.
It was the fine way for Stanley Cartel to end the racing season at Los Alamitos, as this marked the closing night of the meet. The new season will open on Saturday night, December 28. It was also a great way for Stanley Cartel to close out his sophomore campaign, a year in which he won five of his six starts, was a multiple stakes winner, and a finalist to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby. The Super Derby was the only blemish on his record, as he brushed at the start and never challenged the leaders from there. The Southern California proved to be a return of his top form for Stanley Cartel, as he always looked like the winner once he took the lead.
Ridden by Armando Cervantes and trained by Monty Arrossa, the colt by Pyc Paint Your Wagon covered the distance in :19.793 while earning $66,108 for the win. Bred by Weetona Stanley, the Oklahoma-bred out of the mare First Prize Fancy improved to seven wins from eight starts in his career while taking his earnings to $143,528. For jockey/trainer combo of Cervantes and Arrossa, the victory was the exclamation point on their fine 2024 campaign at Los Alamitos. Cervantes finished as the meet’s leading Quarter Horse rider with 52 wins and a meet’s best $2,274,687 in earnings. Arrossa led all trainers with 68 Quarter Horse wins and $3,713,677 in earnings. Cervantes and Arrossa both picked up their first Quarter Horse titles at Los Alamitos.
“It’s a blessing from God,” Arrossa said. “It’s something I dreamed about my whole entire life. I can’t thank my owners, our horseshoer David Vargas, our veterinarian Dr. Ashley Troncatty, our fantastic team, my assistant Jessie Castillo, my foreman Alvaro Diaz and all of our grooms. They’re the best. Kudos to them, kudos to Armando Cervantes and our gallop rider Fernando Olague. We couldn’t do it without them.”
The night, of course, was a big one for Stanley Cartel, who now positions himself as a leading colt at Los Alamitos in 2024.
“We’ve been high on him all season,” Arrossa added. “He had tough go in the Super Derby, but I was proud of him. He came back in the trials fantastic and the horse had been training super up to this. He’s gotten to be a real professional in the gate. A real special win tonight. I’m real thankful to Fred Stanley and Stanley Family, the Dunns for the keeping the horse here and campaigning him at Los Alamitos.”
While a career as stallion could be in future for Stanley Cartel, Dunn Ranch’s SC Time To Run, who was the runner-up in this race, has been consigned to Heritage Place Sale in January. Dunn Ranch’s Foosea is also in that consignment. Arrossa also saddled Juniors Quarter Horses’ Ready For It, who came into this event after posting the fastest qualifying time. He finished fifth after breaking with the leaders before fading in the second part of this race. Eduardo Nicasio piloted SC Time To Run, the winner of the Grade 2 El Primero Del Ano Derby and Grade 2 Heritage Place Derby during the first half of the year. He earned $26,758 for his second-place finish here.
Ridden by Armando Viramontes for trainer Paul Jones, Kevins Wise Corona earned $18,888 for running third. Owned Parsons Ranch and bred by Jay and Char Parsons, Kevins Wise Corona ran a solid race from start to finish, as he was third the entire way. Barry Woodhouse’s Freddie ran fourth and was followed by Ready For It, Try Harder, Remember John, Relentless Coronado and Foosea.
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