Famous Talk, piloted by Cruz Mendez, won the $25,000 Holiday Handicap on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

© Los Alamitos

By Orlando Gutierrez, Los Alamitos

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–DECEMBER 29 ,2025–Johnny Trotter's Famous Talk showed his vast potential in his trial to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. Just call him the talk of the town now after a sensation opening night performance in winning the $25,000 Holiday Handicap in dominant fashion on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

Famous Talk posted a 3/4 length victory over the graded stakes placed filly Fancy Upp in the Holiday Handicap, but his victory was much easier than the margin would suggest. Now under the watch of trainer Jose Flores, Famous Talk broke alertly and took the lead a few strides after the start of the 350-yard dash.

By the midway point, he had a 3/4 length advantage, and he cruised from there to score his second win in seven career starts. Ridden by Cruz Mendez, who was piloting his 99th stakes winner at Los Alamitos, Famous Talk covered the distance in :17.788. He also earned $13,750 for the win to more than double his career earnings to $24,005.

Famous Talk was bred to be a stakes winner. The Steve Burns-bred runner is a colt by the Grade 1 winning champion One Famous Eagle out of the Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity winner Little Talks. He entered the Holiday Handicap after running a strong third in his Two Million trial.

Finishing ahead of Famous Talk were AJ Remember Me, who went on to finish second in the Two Million final, and Jess Im Worth It, who won the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity last year. Famous Talk's final clocking in his 400-yard Two Million trial was :19.85, 4/100ths away from advancing to the $1.9 million final.

Mendez, a five-time leading rider at Los Alamitos, is now one stakes win away from becoming only the 11th jockey to reach the 100 stakes win plateau at Los Alamitos. Los Alamitos will host the Grade 1 James Dreyer Charger Bar Handicap and the Dashingly next weekend.

Kolleen Ledgerwood's Fancy Upp earned $5,625 for running second. The filly by the outstanding Favorite Cartel out of the graded stakes winner Up For It ran third in last year's Governor's Cup Futurity and also competed in the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity. Irving Lara piloted her for trainer Cesar DeAlba.

Famous Talk and Fancy Upp would love to accomplish similar exploits as last year's 1-2 finishers of the Holiday Handicap. Train B Taka won the race last year while Hott Temptation ran second. Train B Taka won two stakes events during his sophomore campaign while also racing in while three graded derbies.

Hott Temptation won the Grade 1 Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap while defeating aged mares while also qualifying to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby and the Grade 1 Champion of Champions.

LCL LLC's Bandita finished third with Armando Viramontes up for trainer Chris O'Dell. Underworld Goddess, Elemyntal, Me Shinning, Tough To Catch, Carversteak, and Shine Ellyn completed the field.

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