Preview Racing


Evil Genius Heads Strong Group PCQHRA Breeders Derby Trials
Governors' Cup Derby winner Evil Genius heads a strong group in Saturday's $184,000 PCQHRA Breeders Derby trials at Los Alamitos.

© Scott Martinez
Evil Genius Heads Strong Group PCQHRA Breeders Derby Trials

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—SEPTEMBER 14, 2017— Leading trainer Paul Jones will saddle eight talented sophomores during a solid night of trials to the $184,000 PCQHRA Breeders Derby on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

Five trials will be contested at 400 yards with the horses with the 10 fastest times advancing to the Breeders Derby final to be held on Friday, October 6.

Jones, who has been the leading trainer at Los Alamitos in 18 of the last 19 years dating back to 1998, will send out a contingent headed by Governor’s Cup Derby winner Evil Genius, a son of Favorite Cartel who seems to be getting better and better with each start.

This horse has found his stride in his 3-year-old year, said Jones, the second all-time leading Quarter Horse trainer at Los Alamitos with 3,569 wins. He ran a nice race in the Governor’s Cup Derby trials, but he came back and ran an unbelievable race in the finals. He’s just getting better and better with more maturity and a little age to him.

Owned by Jones and Abigail Kawananakoa, Evil Genius wil go after his third win from his last four starts this season. Oscar Peinado will ride him from the inside post one.

Ron Hartley’s One Proud Eagle, a two-time major futurity winner last season, will also take part in this trial while making his first start since running in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby on February 11. EG High Desert Farms’ Sweet Aguila, a multiple stakes finalist, and Bob and Scott Giltner’s Doctor Fantastic will also take part in this solid trial.

The second trial of the night will be headed by Darling Farms and Jaime Gomez’s razor sharp LD Is Back and EG High Desert Farms’ Jess Hawk. LD Is Back has won his only two starts of 2017 and has looked terrific in the process. The Walk Thru Fire gelding won the Jens List Memorial Stakes in his most recent start on July 29.

Jess Hawk, meanwhile, will be making her first start since running second in the Winter Derby. The talented homebred filly has won five of her first nine career outings. Leah and David Nelson’s Kiddy Up Cowgirl, third in the Winter Derby and fourth in the Governor’s Cup Derby, will also compete in this trial.

Jones will be back saddling a top contender in the third heat, as he’ll send out La Primera Del Ano Derby winner Start Somethin Bad for Jeff Aldstadt and Jeff Pitcher. Top jockey Jesus Rios Ayala will pilot the Pappasito filly.

Kawananakoa’s Staggering Stride, third in the La Primera Del Ano and most recently second to Grade 1 winner Chazaq in Golden State Derby trial, will headline the fourth trial. Every single runner in this trial is a filly and for the night 22 of the 37 runners in these trials are fillies.

The fifth and final heat will also feature a fillies in the form of Golden State Derby runner-up Look At Her. Kawananakoa’s Racy High Roller is a boy to watch in this heat, as he’s looking to sweep this series after winning the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity last year.

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.