Apollitical Pence Makes It A Double Of Champion Of Champions Wins LOS ALAMITOS, CA—DECEMBER 11, 2021—Ed Allred's Monopolist will look to close out his sophomore campaign in style when he headlines a 10-horse field in the running of the Grade 2, $150,600 Southern California Derby at 400 yards on closing night, Sunday at Alamitos.

As the final card of the meet, the 10-race program will feature a mandatory payout in the $2 Pick 6, which gets underway in race 5 on Sunday night. First post is 5 p.m. (PST).

Monopolist has posted some of the most impressive races of the season and has been the fastest qualifier to three derbies this year. He was a three-length winner in his trial to the Governor's Cup Derby and returned to finish second in the final. He was also third in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby.

He was a daylight winner in his trial to the Southern California Derby, leading from gate to wire while recording his fourth win in seven starts this year. Henry Reynoso Lopez will ride the Favorite Cartel gelding for trainer James Glenn, Jr. from post number two. A win here would put him well over $400,000 in career earnings.

Monopolist will be facing a solid group of sophomores that includes surprising trial winner O Donovan Rossa, who scored at odds of 31-1 on trial night for jockey Diego Herrera. The gelding by Apollitical Jess has hit the board in five of his nine starts this season and has posted good efforts at Remington Park and Ruidoso as well as his upset win at Los Alamitos.

Jaime Gomez's J Best Boogie was the other trial winner after she outdueled Dunn Ranch's Karl Strauss by a neck. The Docs Best Card filly had a blip in form in the autumn months, but when she's at her best, she's delivered many eye-catching efforts. Karl Strauss is also in this field.

Bobby Simmons and Johnny Trotter's Tres Seis gelding Tuckk has finished third or better in all seven of his starts this year and battled gamely against J Best Boogie and Karl Strauss in their trial. If he can take one more step forward, he'll be a force in this 400-yard derby.

The field will also feature the sharp Grade 1 finalist A Dash Of Sign, plus Apollitical Hero, Everlong, La Estrella Corona and In My Heart.

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