LOS ALAMITOS, CA—SEPTEMBER 14, 2019—Major futurity winners Flokie, Pitbull, and Chayito Cartel will headline a great night of trials to the Grade 2, $355,000 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity at 350 yards on Sunday night at Los Alamitos.

Seven trials featuring a total of 55 juveniles will be contested as part of the nine-race program. The first race is set for 6 p.m. with the trials consisting of races three through nine.

Among the 2-year-olds racing in the trials, 24 will enter with stakes racing experience.

Of course of the three big names are the futurity winners led by the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity winner Flokie. Owned by J. Francisco Diaz and Jose Flores, Flokie outdueled the filly Dreams Divine by a nose to win the $1,070,000 Ed Burke on June 23. The gelding by Favorite Cartel first showed his ability in the Ed Burke trials, winning his heat by daylight from post number eight.

Flokie drew post number four in the final and despite being bumped at the start he quickly found his best stride and caught Dreams Divine in the final 50 yards. Bred by Lazy Creek Ranch, Flokie is already among the year’s best bargains. Flores purchased him for $10,700 at the 2018 Heritage Place Winter Sale and he’s already earned $435,100 from just three career starts.

“Jose called me after the bought Flokie and asked me if I wanted to be his partner of the horse,” Diaz said. “I told him yes right away. I had not seen the horse until the night of the Ed Burke. I trust Jose Flores. We’ve known each other for a long time.”

Flokie gave the longtime owner his first ever Grade 1 futurity victory, but not his first futurity win of 2019. That honor went to Diaz’s homebred, Chayito Cartel, who won the Grade 2 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity on May 19. Chayito Cartel is trained by Diaz’s son, Lindolfo Diaz, making the victory that much sweeter.

“To win a futurity with a horse I raised and my son as the trainer, that’s a true dream,” the owner said.

Always a horseman, Diaz would love nothing more than seeing his super freshman duo squaring off against each other in the PCQHRA Breeders final. To be ridden by Jairo Rangel, Flokie will be in action in race seven (trial number five), while Chayito Cartel will race five (trial number three).

Chayito Cartel does have a tough task ahead of him in his trial, as the gelding by Favorite Cartel will be facing Kindergarten finalist Chickititas Favorite, Ed Burke Million finalist Ventura Jess JQM, and Ed Burke Memorial Juvenile runner-up Favorite Mongoose. The Kindergarten winner will be ridden by Jesus Rios Ayala while looking for a return to better form after running sixth in the 350-yard California Breeders Freshman Stakes on July 27.

Cesar Nunez’s Pitbull could end up as the biggest star of the night, as he’ll enter the final race of the night with an undefeated record in three career starts. Also sired by the outstanding Favorite Cartel, Pitbull won his Governor’s Cup trial by a 1 ¼ lengths before taking the final by a half-length.

Ruben Lozano will ride the $40,000 Los Alamitos Equine Sale Yearling purchase for trainer Valentin Zamudio. He’ll be facing a field that includes Kindergarten runner-up Mental Error and Governor’s Cup finalist Up For Speed.

Other top names in the trials include Freshman Stakes winner El Angel Corona, two-time futurity finalist Cartel Jess Rockin, John Deere California Juvenile Challenge winner Giving Freely, Ed Burke Million finalist Javelina Cantina, and stakes runner-ups Jess A Favorite Kiss and Favorite Illusion.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.