Preview Racing


Moonie Blues And Matilda Czech Head Trials To La Primera Del Ano
Moonie Blues will start in Saturday's Grade 3 La Primera Del Ano Derby trials at Los Alamitos Race Course.

© Scott Martinez
Moonie Blues And Matilda Czech Head Trials To La Primera Del Ano

LOS ALAMITOS, CA--MARCH 7, 2018--Los Alamitos Race Course had the good fortune of being home to an exceptional group of freshman fillies in 2017.

J Fire Up was at the head of this class, and at season's end she was named PCQHRA Horse of the Year, AQHA champion 2-year-old and AQHA champion 2-year-old filly.

In addition to J Fire Up, this division also featured Wild West Futurity winner Moonie Blues, Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity runner-up Matilda Czech, and graded stakes finalists Summertime Favorite and A Political Lady.

All four of these top fillies will be in action on Saturday night in the trials to the Grade 3, $183,800 La Primera Del Ano Derby at 400 yards.

There will be two trials contested with the horses with the 10 fastest times moving on to the La Primera Del Ano final on March 30.

Lisa Anderson's Moonie Blues and EG High Desert Farms' Matilda Czech will be in the spotlight in the second of two trials in what will be their third meeting since December 17.

Moonie Blues, by multiple stakes sire Freighttrain B, has finished ahead of Matilda Czech in both of those starts, first when running second behind J Fire Up in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million to Matilda Czech's fourth, and then when third in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby with her rival crossing the wire fourth. Matilda Czech is last year's #3 Leading First Crop Sire of Money Earners Fast Prize Cartel.

If the two talented fillies are among the top 10 qualifiers following this trial, they should be among the favorites in the rich La Primera final.

In addition to Moonie Blues and Matilda Czech, this dash has also drawn Hard Headed Chick, the fourth place finisher in the Grade 2 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity, La Rusa, who also made the field to the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity, and allowance winner Terrific Temptation.

Parsons Ranch's Apollitical Jess filly, A Political Lady, could be a major star in 2018. She was third in the Golden State Million to the aforementioned J Fire Up and Matilda Czech and won her sophomore debut in style. She heads the opening trial.

Paul Jones and Thompson Racing's Favortie Cartel filly Summertime Favorite finished nicely when second to Terrific Temptation two months ago. She also showed that 400 yards can be to her liking when third to Moonie Blues in their Los Alamitos Two Million trial.

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.