BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI PHOENIX, AZ—DECEMBER 5, 2021—Chrissy Ledoux, a homebred daughter of champion FDD Dynasty racing for Ralph and Carolyn Fales, will put her win streak on the line in Friday’s 400-yard, $37,500-added Arizona QRA Turf Paradise Open Futurity at Turf Paradise Racetrack. The fastest qualifier, Chrissy Ledoux has won her last three starts, including the third of four trials on November 18. The filly’s streak includes a half-length victory in a 300-yard, $13,200 non-winners-of-two allowance dash at Los Alamitos on October ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI PHOENIX, AZ—DECEMBER 2, 2021—Valentin Jqm and Outta Debt are among the dozen sprinters entered in Wednesday’s 350-yard, $30,000 Mike Hastings Memorial Stakes at Turf Paradise. Valentin Jqm is coming off of a neck victory at odds of 11-1 in the 300-yard, $30,000 Wayne Brasher Memorial Stakes at Turf Paradise on November 17. The 4-year-old gelded son of champion Separatist is trained by Amy Nelson for owner Juan Cesar Torres-Casas. Valentin Jqm drew post 9 and will be ridden by Mark Jasso. A 4-year-old daughter of ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI HOBBS, NM—DECEMBER 1, 2021—Zia Park will present four stakes -- all graded -- during its 10-race program on Sunday. Post time for the first race is set for 12 p.m. (MST). Following are previews of all four stakes. Zia Park Championship (G1) Eight aged runners are entered in Sunday’s 440-yard, $100,000 Zia Park Championship (G1). Apollitical Papa, a homebred 4-year-old son of world champion Apollitical Jess racing for Bob and Sissie McClure, is coming off of a 1 1/4-length victory in the 350-yard, $50,000 James Isaac Hobbs Stakes (G3) at Zia Park on November ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 30, 2021—A total of 46 3-year-olds, headed by Grade 3 winner Famous Chief, are entered in Saturday’s 400-yard Evangeline Downs Derby at Evangeline Downs. A gelded son of One Famous Eagle trained by Eric Long for owner Ramon Calvillo Jr., Famous Chief is coming off of a three-quarter length victory on a sloppy and sealed track in the October 2, 440-yard Dash For Cash Derby (G3) at Lone Star Park. Famous Chief has won three of five races and has ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 28, 2021—Graded stakes winners Mr Spud and Doc McCrocklin are among the 100 juveniles entered in Friday’s 400-yard Evangeline Downs Futurity (G3) trials at Evangeline Downs. The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the $100,000-added Evangeline Downs Futurity final on December 30. A bay son of The Louisiana Cartel owned by Christopher A. Villatoro and a $7,200 purchase at last year’s Heritage Place Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City, Mr Spud will be ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI PHOENIX, AZ-—NOVEMBER 28, 2021—Katella Avenue, a gelded son of champion Foose owned and trained by Valentin Zamudio, is one of 22 3-year-olds entered in Thursday’s 400-yard Arizona QRA Turf Paradise Open Derby trials at Turf Paradise Racetrack. A finalist in the October 2, ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 26, 2021—Multiple derby winner Favorite Colossus will be joined by four Los Alamitos Super Derby finalists plus talented runners like Monopolist, J Best Boogie, Tuckk and Just A Dasha Hero in the trials to the Grade 2, $150,600 Southern California Derby on Sunday at Los Alamitos. The Southern California Derby trials represent the final stakes trials of the season and will the 10 horses that will move on to the 400-yard final to be held on the meet’s closing night on Sunday, December 19. Twenty-six sophomores will race in the trials that will be held in races 8,9 and 10 on Sunday. Super Derby finalists ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—NOVEMBER 25, 2021—Rockin J Running Horses’ Viva Le Don is the 6-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s 870-yard, $50,000 Devil His Due Stakes at Lone Star Park. A homebred 5-year-old Rock Solid Jess gelding trained by Tammy Johnson, Viva Le Don won three stakes during his summer campaign, all at the 870-yard distance, including the June 12, $81,000 Jesse Yoakum Memorial Stakes (R) for Texas-breds at Sam Houston Race Park. All told, the gelding has won 11 of 31 races -- including five of eight ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—NOVEMBER 24, 2021—KJ Desparado, a gelded son of world champion Apollitical Jess, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s 400-yard, $1,114,816 Texas Classic Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park. KJ Desparado is trained by Wes Giles for owners John Lee, ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 23, 2021—Apollitical High and Sir Louisiana Dash are among the 21 state-bred sophomores entered in Saturday’s Louisiana QHBA Breeders’ Derby (RG3) trials at Evangeline Downs. The 10 fastest qualifiers from Saturday’s three 400-yard heats will meet in the December 18, $100,000-added LQHBA Breeders’ Derby final. Apollitical High is a sorrel son of Apollitical Blood trained by Rosendo Valdez Jr. for ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 22, 2021—A total of 119 state-bred 2-year-olds, headed by multiple graded stakes winner Blood Money, are entered in Friday’s 400-yard Louisiana QHBA Million Futurity (RG1) trials at Evangeline Downs. Post time for the first of 13 trials is set for 4:35 p.m. (CST). The last heat is scheduled to go off at 9:35. Blood Money has won five of six races and has earned $672,142 while racing exclusively in Louisiana. A $17,000 purchase at last ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 19, 2021—A full night of trials to the richest running of the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity since 2014 are on the marquee for the Sunday night action that begins at 5:15 p.m. (PSD). Fourteen trials at 400 yards are on tap with every race featuring either an eight or nine horse field. The juveniles with the 10 fastest times will advance to the $2,036,825 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity to be held on Sunday, December 12. Consensus selections for each of the 14 trials can be found on page 6 of the ...