Train B Taka, ridden by Edwin Escobedo, wins the $25,000 Holiday Handicap on Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

© Los Alamitos

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–DECEMBER 28, 2024–Marc Jungers has had a lot of reasons to celebrate in 2024 courtesy of a legion of superstars that included Grade 1 winners Lethal Cowboy 123, Asscher, Shakers No Secret, and Relentless Eagle.

The opening night program of the new Los Alamitos meet provided another moment of joy for Jungers as the talented gelding Train B Taka won the $25,000 Holiday Handicap on Saturday night. Ridden by Edwin Escobedo for owners Cheryl Stokes, Armando Arreola, and Tungsten Racing Partnership, Train B Taka broke sharply from the outside post seven and, from there, sailed to a gate-to-wire victory in the 350-yard dash.

In winning the final stakes race of the year at the Orange County oval, the gelding by Freighttrain B won the Holiday by 3/4-lengths of Reliance Ranches’ Hott Temptation while covering the distance in 17.682.

Bred by Rancho El Cabresto, Train B Taka picked up his third win in six career starts and the earnings of $13,750 took his total bankroll to $87,185. This was also his second win in as many starts at Los Alamitos this year.

As for Jungers, this was his second straight victory in the Holiday. The trainer won last year’s running with the brilliant filly Asscher, her first career stakes win before going on to scoring in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Oaks, deadheating for the win in the Grade 2 Dash For Cash Derby, and then closing out her sophomore campaign with a victory in the Purina Feeds Texas Classic Oaks Stakes. 

Roman Figueroa, Edwin Escobedo, Marc Jungers and Kaylee Escobedo accept the trophy after Train B Taka won the $25,000 Holiday Handicap Los Alamitos on Saturday. © Orlando Gutierrez/Los Alamitos

Train B Taka will begin preparations for what Jungers hopes will be a highly successful sophomore campaign.

"We’ve been sitting here waiting, getting him ready, and now we’ll begin getting him ready for the derbies," Jungers said. "He won his prep race here the other night (December 6) and did really well tonight. We’re really happy. He’s paid up in derbies out here. He’ll stay here and go to Ruidoso for the summer."

Train B Taka will be pointed to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby and the Grade 2 El Primero Del Ano Derby.

This was Jungers’ final start for 2024, and he closes out the year with 51 wins from 386 starters for more than $2.77 million in earnings. His richest win came on December 15 with Lethal Cowboy 123 in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.

"We’ve bought some really nice horses, and we’ve been very blessed and fortunate. They’ve been running at Ruidoso, going 440 and 400, and done well there. They’ve come down here and done extremely well."

Justine Klaiber rode Hott Temptation to a strong runner-up finish for trainer Eddie Willis. The Tempting Dash filly is out of Pandorum by Tres Seis and was bred by Fulton Quien Sabe Ranch. She earned $5,625 for the effort, giving her a total of $85,662 in earnings.

Barry Woodhouse’s Jess Flaming finished third under jockey Juan Pablo Leon. George and Sandra Villalobos bred the two-year-old son of Mr Jess Perry in California out of the Walk Thru Fire mare Flaming Chula. Sergio Morgin trained the two-time winner.

Mass Prieta, Sassy Britches, Fyrestorm and Do The Job completed the field.

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