Stuck In Probate, under jockey Ruben Lozano, setting the fastest time for the Grade 2 Southern California Derby Sunday night at Los Alamitos Race Course.

© Amber Mendez

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 27, 2022–Over the past two years, the ownership group of Vic3tory LLC has a built a solid operation built around privately acquiring talented, experienced horses ready to compete at the stakes racing level.

The stable has been led by multiple stakes winners Other World and Stolen Lives and multiple stakes placed runner Katella Avenue.

Vic3tory LLC’s most recent purchase is the Favorite Cartel gelding Stuck In Probate, a Steve Burns-bred sprinter which has already rewarded his new connections with several impressive efforts since joining his new barn prior to the Los Alamitos Super Derby trials on October 16.

Fifth in his trial and then third in the Town Policy Handicap on November 5, Stuck In Probate scored the biggest win of his 15-race career after defeating PCQHRA Breeders Derby finalist Insider Information by a head on the way to posting fastest qualifying time to the Grade 2, $155,300 Southern California Derby on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

Boondarbian defeating fellow qualifier Whizkey Glasses (#7) in the third trial on Sunday night. © Amber Mendez

Competing in the first of four trials to the Southern California Derby, Stuck In Probate took the lead shortly after the start of the 400 yard race. From there, he enforced his will on the competition as he went on to score a 1 ¼ length win in a time of :19.728. Ridden by Ruben Lozano for trainer Valentin Zamudio, Stuck In Probate picked up his third win in 15 career starts.

A total of 27 sophomores competed in the trials with the derby final scheduled to be contested on this meet’s closing night on Sunday, December 18.

While Stuck In Probate won the opening trial at 7-1 odds, the biggest upset of the night was posted by Jerald and Lacie Davenport’s homebred Boondarbian, who outdueled Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity winner Whizkey Glasses by a neck at 14-1 odds.

Conant Valley, under champion jockey James Flores, was an easy winner in the final Southern California Derby trial on Sunday. © Amber Mendez

Ridden by Juan Pablo Leon for trainer John Cooper, the Utah-bred by Jr Dynasty Mountain covered the distance in the second fastest time of the night of :19.888.

"It’s pretty exciting," Lacie Davenport said. "We knew he’d show up. I’m a little bit surprised that he did as well as he did, but I knew he had it in him. We own his mom and have owned her during her entire life. Our family has been involved in racing forever, forty plus years."

Boondarbian’s dam is the Splash Bac mare Splash Talk, who won eight of 21 starts in her career, including a consolation at Dixie Downs to go along with a runner-up effort in the Elko County Fair Derby in 2007. Splash Talk’s mother, Katies Victory, ran in the 1996 Grade 1 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity for owners David Payne and Gerald Davenport.

Dasha Dynasty, under jockey Jesus Ayala, gets the 10th fastest time in the second trial Sunday night at Los Alamitos Race Course. © Amber Mendez

"(Boondarbian) is in good company with his siblings," said Doug Davenport, who is Lacie’s brother. "And they run better as 3-year-olds. We were excited and confident that he would run well at 400 yards."

The final trial of the night went to Keith Nellesen’s Conant Valley, who dueled with Jess Being A Friend before pulling away in the second half of this race to win by 1 ¼ lengths. James Flores piloted by gelding by One Famous Eagle for trainer Heath Taylor.

"I think he finally got away clean. The horse has always been kind of a timid horse and it looked like he got a lot of confidence and looked comfortable. He finished really well in :09.63 and James said he felt super strong the last half of the race. For whatever reason, the horse during the last 10-12 days has really changed a lot."

Bred by McColee Land & Livestock LLC, Conant Valley began his sophomore year racing in the Intermountain region, winning each of his first four starts, before eventually traveling west to Los Alamitos.

"First race he ran here was a solid race," trainer Heath Taylor said. "He ran fourth but he got beat by maybe a head by Heza Dasha Fire’s sister, Sweet Dasha Fire, who won the (PCQHRA Breeders Derby). That was a good effort. (His) last race was  dull, real flat. He came up here tonight real serious and happy. This last week he stood real good in the gate and he’s been training a lot more forward in the last couple of weeks. Maybe he’s settling here now. He had never raced at night but maybe he’s maturing a little bit. He has a Thoroughbred mother. I thought he ran a pretty race tonight."

Conant Valley won the final trial by a time of :20.017.

The second trial of the night went to S-Quarter K LLC, Robyn Gordon, and Juan Moya’s Dasha Dynasty. The FDD Dynasty colt won his heat by a head in the 10th fastest time of the night of :20.026. Jesus Rios Ayala piloted Dasha Dynaty for trainer Jose Flores.

For the complete list of qualifiers with times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.

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For more info, please contact larace@losalamitos.com. Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @losalracing or visit us online at losalamitos.com.