LOS ALAMITOS, CA—SEPTEMBER 14, 2018—EG High Desert Farms’ Matilda Czech returned to the winning form that made her one of the top juvenile fillies of 2017 with a dominant performance to win the $15,000 Girls Secrets Handicap at 300 yards on Friday at Los Alamitos.

Facing seven top caliber fillies – all with stakes racing experience – Matilda Czech broke sharply from post number two, took the lead early and then pulled away to win by 1-¼ lengths. Her winning time of :15.308 was only 32/1000ths of a second from the meet’s fastest time at this distance set by Katies Easy Moves of :15.276 on May 13.

Ridden by Cruz Mendez for trainer Jesus Nunez, the Fast Prize Cartel filly was visiting the winner’s circle for the first time since her Los Alamitos Winter Derby trial victory on January 20. She entered the Girl Secrets after posting a sharp 350-yard gate drills in :17.80 on August 28. Matilda Czech was a five-time winner with earnings of $306,750 last year.

She finished second by a nose to eventual champion 2-year-old J Fire Up in the Golden State Million Futurity last year. Bred by EG High Desert Farms, Matilda Czech earned $8,250 for the win to take her career earnings to $333,532. She is out of the Corona Czech mare Short Czech.

Denny and Sandy Weigt’s Pyc Paint Your Wagon filly Missmerizing, the winner of the Los Alamitos Maiden Stakes on February 18, finished second. The Monty Arrossa-trainee has finished in the top three in 12 of 17 career starts. She earned $3,375 for running second.

SC Vapor Trail, winner of the John Deere California Juvenile Challenge last year, finished third. A homebred for Reliance Ranches LLC, the daughter of Corona Cartel is conditioned by Mike Robbins.

Madam Of Fire MV, Better Than Ever, Splendid Cause, Yashira Vista, and Remember To Dash completed the field.

Duck Dash N Go Sets 100-Yard Track Record

Vicente Treyes’ Duck Dash N Go set a new track record at 100 yards after winning an allowance event in the sixth race in a time of :06.485.

Ridden by Eduardo Nicasio from the outside post seven, Duck Dash N Go lowered the track record by almost 3/100ths of a second. The previous record at this distance of :06.51 was set by French Fury on March 25.

Bred in Oklahoma by Bobby Cox, Duck Dash N Go finished a half-length ahead of Time For Stoli to pick up her 12th win in 23 career starts. The Coronas Fast Dash mare is a three-time stakes winner at Los Alamitos. She won the Independence Day Handicap on July 7 and the A Ransom Handicap and Rebs Lil Lulu Handicap last year.

Saul Ramirez, Jr. Back At Los Alamitos

Jockey Saul Ramirez, Jr. is back on the saddle at Los Alamitos. Long known as a money rider at the Orange County track, Ramirez, Jr. had been plying his trade as both jockey and trainer mostly at tracks in New Mexico and Texas.

He returned to Los Alamitos with a couple of mounts on Friday night. He also has four mounts on Saturday night including three in the trials to the PCQHRA Breeders Derby.

In his local career, Ramirez, Jr. won back-to-back runnings of the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity, first with champion Blues Girl Too in 2006 and then with champion One Famous Eagle in 2007. He also won the Champion of Champions with Blues Girl Too during her AQHA world champion campaign in 2007.

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Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.