LOS ALAMITOS, CA—APRIL 17, 2021—M & G Farms' homebred Golden Boi packed a punch in his racing debut, as he outdueled Ed Allred's highly competitive sprinter Need A Favor by a neck on the way to posting the meet's fastest 220-yard clocking of :12.081 Friday night at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by Ruben Lozano for trainer Valentin Zamudio, Golden Boi was highly impressive, as he broke a tad slow before rushing back to take the lead at the midway point before holding off Need A Favor.

A colt by Favorite Cartel out of Logans Dash, Golden Boi's winning time bettered the previous best of the meet set by Docs Fastlane of :12.145 on March 28.

The California-bred's effort was like his lone gate work on March 20 when he worked from the inside to post a :12.4 clocking for the fourth fastest of 49 drills. Golden Boi hesitated to leave the gate, broke in, quickly straightened out and then responded to light urging with a lot of power, as he won the drill by a neck. He was ready to go a few more rounds after the wire – a stylish gallop-out that he also put on display in his debut victory.

"This was his fourth time in the starting gate," Zamudio said. "I gave him that one workout and before that he had only been there two other times, once when we walked him through just to get comfortable and another time when we schooled him to actually break out of the gate. He's such a classy, smart individual. He catches on very quickly."

The 2-year-old looks like he's already a top middleweight contender with a lot of room to grow.

"Golden Boi is a good-sized boy," Zamuido added. "He's a really good-looking horse with good confirmation. From what I've seen from him, I think he's going to be a runner. He has a good mind. He is strong, muscular, just gorgeous. He's going to like longer distances. I'd like to run him one more time before the trials to the Ed Burke Million Futurity on May 30. It might be a little tough to get him one more race in, but we'll see."

Golden Boi arrived in Zamudio's barn at the start of the year.

"He came in right around January 1," he said. "He's improved a little more each day. He's always done good work."

Zamudio saw the :12.081 clocking, but it did not immediately sink in that it was the meet's fastest overall time at 220 yards.

"I know he can run, but I really like him for 350, 400 yards," Zamudio added. "He's one of the favorites in our barn."

Ricardo Ramirez's Chizum, a $150,000 purchase at the Ruidoso Yearling Sale, earned his maiden diploma with high honors after posting a dominant two length victory at 300 yards. For trainer Jose Flores, the win was his fourth with a 2-year-old over the last five racing nights here.

Bred in Texas, Chizum is by champion Tempting Dash and out of the Tres Seis mare Ms Eaves. Ridden by Cruz Mendez, his winning time of :15.876 is the second fastest by a 2-year-old this season, only behind Woman Secret's time of :15.638. Chizum was bred by the late John Andreini. The great horsemen also bred juvenile winner Mookkie, who also impressed in his first start.

Ed Allred, the sport's all-time leading owner and breeder, enjoyed another winner by the young stallion Fly Thru The Fire courtesy of the Scott Willoughby-trained Nomad. A half-brother to derby winners Nomadic and Circle City, the dashing gray sprinter posted a length victory while covering the 220 yards in :12.336. Allred bred Nomad, who is out of stakes winning mare Moonlight Corona.

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