LOS ALAMITOS, CA—SEPTEMBER 21, 2018—Parsons Family Limited Partnership’s Thermonuclear Energy has been assigned the high weight of 127 pounds when a strong field of distaffers meet in the Grade 1, $125,000 Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

The winner of the Mildred Vessels will earn a berth to the Grade 1, $600,000 Champion of Champions to be held here on December 15.

To be ridden by Eduardo Nicasio for trainer Chris O’Dell, Thermonuclear Energy will enter the 400-yard feature having won back-to-back stakes races at Los Alamitos. She flew late to win the Ivan Ashment Handicap over Jess Mas at 400 yards on June 23 and then posted one of the best efforts of her career when cruising to a ¾ length win in the California Breeders Matron Stakes on July 28.

A winner of nine of 23 starts and $317,257 in earnings, the California-bred Walk Thru Fire mare will start from post number one while looking for her fourth stakes win from her last five starts. Her only blemish during that span is a second place finish to Kiddy Up Cowgirl in the Grade 1 Charger Bar Handicap on January 7.

Johnny Trotter’s One Sweet Racy has also won each of her last two starts. The Missouri-bred One Sweet Jess mare finished second in the Grade 1 All American Derby last year and has so far enjoyed a strong 2018 campaign.

To be ridden by Saul Ramirez, Jr., One Sweet Racy ran second in the Decketta Stakes and third in the Junos Request Stakes at Remington Park in the spring before traveling to Los Alamitos to win an allowance event by daylight on July 6 and then posting a neck win in the AQHA California Distaff Challenge in her last start. She’s also earned over $300,000 in her career - $302,173 to be exact. One Sweet Racy will carry 125 pounds.

Two other mares have also been assigned 125 pounds each. Leah and David Nelson’s Kiddy Up Cowgirl is one of them when she makes her third start of the year on Sunday. The Kiddy Up mare outdueled Thermonuclear Energy to win the Charger Bar and after a long break she returned in the Matron Stakes, where she bumped during the race and could never get going on the way to running fifth.

EG High Desert Farms’ Jess Ravin is the other mare carrying 125 pounds. The Corona Cartel mare won three stakes here last year and has won a total of six stakes during her Los Alamitos career.

Trained by Jesus Nunez and with leading rider Jesus Rios Ayala up, Jess Ravin is making his first start of 2018.

Jess Hawk, third in the Grade 1 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship, will give EG High Desert Farms a strong 1-2 punch in this race.

Elicity, Tough To Figure, Hootin For Hotlips, Jess Mas, and Strawfinders Jessee will complete the field.

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Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.