LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JUNE 13, 2013—Major Los Alamitos derby winners Deniro, PK Fire and New Look are among the 16 older horses that will compete in a pair of 400-yard trials to the $167,900 Vessels Maturity on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

The horses with the 10 fastest times will move on to the Grade 1 final to be held on July 7. The winner of the Vessels Maturity will earn a starting berth to the prestigious $750,000 Champion of Champions on December 14.

Owned by Shane O’Leary, Deniro will be looking for a return trip to the Champion of Champions after finishing fifth in last year’s classic. The Desirio gelding will be making his first start since the Champion of Champions following a 2012 campaign that saw him win the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby and finished second by a nose in the Los Alamitos Winter Derby. To be ridden by Eduardo Nicasio for trainer Jose De La Torre, Deniro has posted three workouts in preparation for this trial. His most recent drill was a 350-yard workout in :18.30 on May 25.

The opening trial will also feature Paul Blanchard’s Shazoom gelding Bills Last, who finished second in the Los Alamitos Winter Championship earlier this season, and two-time local stakes winner Fols Jesse. The field will also feature La Pacifica Handicap runner-up Queens R Blue, 2011 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity finalist Hit It Big, PCQHRA Breeders Derby third place finisher Chicks Boudro, the stakes placed sprinter Perfect Place and the stakes experienced newcomer Jess One Ace.

Martha Wells’ New Look and Gerardo Pasquel’s PK Fire, the winners of the last two runnings of the El Primero Del Ano Derby, are among the top names that will participate in the second trial. In addition to the winning the El Primero last year, New Look also scored stakes wins in the Town Policy and Dana Point handicaps in 2012. His last start came in the Winter Championship and he has since posted a nice 350-yard workout of :17.90 on May 28. PK Fire, by Walk Thru Fire, won the 2011 El Primero and most recently he enjoyed a victory in the Kaweah Bar Handicap on May 4. He finished third in last year’s running of the Vessels Maturity.

The richest horse among the 16 trialists is Jesus Avila and Jesus Cuevas’ Last To Fire, who has earned $587,627 in his career. The Walk Thru Fire gelding's career is filled with appearances in Grade 1 stakes races here, including a second in the 2011 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.

This trial will also feature newcomer Jess Featureme Quick, the winner of the 2012 Hobbs America Derby and most recently the runner-up in the $100,000 Bank of America Sunland Challenge Championship on April 7. The Feature Mr Jess gelding was also fourth in last year’s All American Derby. Bitterroot Derby winner Alittlebitofivory, Grade 1 derby finalist Our Man David, the stakes placed Gone With A Win and the five-time local winner Steller will complete this field.

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com