TRAIN B TAKA, BROWN COFFEEE ARE 1-2 IN TRIAL AND AS QUALIFIERS
TO GRADE 1 LOS ALAMITOS WINTER DERBY
Armando Arreola, Cheryl Stokes and Tungsten Racing Partnership’s Train B Taka is now a perfect three for three in Southern California after thrilling nose victory over Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity runner-up Brown Coffeee in the first of three trials to the Grade 1, $173,350 Los Alamitos Winter Derby on Saturday night.
With Edwin Escobedo piloting him for trainer Marc Jungers, Train B Taka has been tremendous at the Orange County track. He was a winner in an allowance event in his local debut on December 9 and then returned to win the Holiday Handicap on December 28. In the Holiday, Train B Taka gave a glimpse of his finishing ability, as he went from leading by a neck to winning by the 350-yard dash by ¾ lengths.
His late running prowess was in full display in the Winter Derby trial, as he trailed Brown Coffeee by a head with 110 yards to go before a perfect finish earned him a hard-fought victory in the 400-yard trial. Bred by Rancho El Cabresto, the gray gelding by Freighttrain B covered the distance in :19.845 to finish as the fastest qualifier. For his career, Train B Taka has won four of his seven career starts.
Monte and Katsy Cluck and Ross Roark’s Brown Coffeee broke a step behind Train B Taka, took the lead at the midway point and was unlucky to lose the head-bob at the finish line. With Jose Nicasio up for trainer Heath Taylor, Brown Coffeee finished with the second fastest time of :19.853. Bred b Silver Racing Farm, the gelding by Good Reason SA has started five times at Los Alamitos and finished in the top three in every one of his races. He came into this trial after running second to the Junger-trained Lethal Cowboy 123 in the Two Million final. Brown Cofeee and Train B Taka will face off again in the Winter Derby final to be held here on Saturday, February 15.
Five of the 10 Winter Derby finalists came out of the second trial of the night, which was won by Johnny Trotter’s homebred Cartel Perry. Third in the Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity, Cartel Perry broke with the lead, and he was full rolling by the midway point. There was no stopping him from there, as he finished a half-length ahead of David Hinkins’ talented Vgk Zigfield Folies. Chris O’Dell saddled the Texas-bred son of Mr Jess Perry, who was ridden for the first time by Jesus Rios Ayala.
“We love Cartel Perry,” O’Dell said. “He’s a barn favorite. I love him. I’ve spent a lot of time with this horse. He never breaks really good, so we’ve been working with him on that. We broke him out of the gate multiple times (preparing for this race), and he broke better tonight. He’s so big and wide between the front legs that it’s hard for him to break like a rocket like we want him to. Once he learns how to break, he’s going to be dangerous. It goes back to how Catchmeinyourdreams was. Once he learned how to break, he was dangerous.
“He’s in the Super Derby. We’re excited about his 3-year-old career. He’s a great horse and can go the distance.”
Cartel Perry covered the distance in :19.863 to finish as the third fastest qualifier. The Adan Farias-trainee Vgk Zigfield Follies finished as the fifth fastest qualifier with a time of :19.944, while Jess Send Kevin, Fire Tool 123 and Apollitical Bet all qualified from this race as well.
Clanfield Act Stables’ homebred Favorite Semental posted a perfect race from the inside post one to win the third trial in the fourth fastest time of :19.941. Henry Reynoso Lopez piloted the Favorite Cartel colt, who is trained by Felix Gonzalez. Favorite Semental finished a half-length ahead of Ed Allred’s Norco.
“He seems to be maturing, and he seems to be getting better with each passing day and a 3-year-old,” Gonzalez said. “I was surprised to see him do so well from the rail and how strong he finished. He was always close last year to winning some big races. He’s worked and always done well.”
“We hope things continue to same and I’ll keep the same routine with him. I don’t want to do overdue things with him after what he just did tonight. We’ll keep doing things the same.”
Gabriel Lara piloted Norco for trainer Scott Willoughby to the seventh fastest time of :19.999. As a juvenile, Norco qualified to the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity. Parsons Ranch’s Favorite Wise Lady was the other qualifier from this trial.
Here’s the complete list of qualifiers to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby: Train B Taka (:19.845), Brown Coffeee (:19.9853), Cartel Perry (:19.863), Favorite Semental (:19.941), Vgk Zigfield Follies (:19.944), Jess Send Kevin (:19.950), Norco (:19.999), Fire Tools 123 (:20.005), Apollitical Bet (:20.071), and Powerful Wise Lady (:20.103).
-30-