Doodah Cartel solidified his status as the undisputed top 3-year-old colt on the grounds on Sunday night, holding off a fierce challenge to win the Grade 2, $185,100 El Primero Del Año Derby.

© William Zuazo

By Orlando Gutierrez

CYPRESS, CA–MARCH 30, 2026–The sophomore division at Los Alamitos in 2026 officially has its male superstar. Thompson Racing, Paul Jones, and Alexis Andrade’s Doodah Cartel solidified his status as the undisputed top 3-year-old colt on the grounds on Sunday night, holding off a fierce challenge to win the Grade 2, $185,100 El Primero Del Año Derby.

In doing so, the son of Favorite Cartel achieved a rare derby feat, becoming only the fourth horse to sweep the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby and the Grade 2 El Primero Del Año Derby. Doodah Cartel now joins Headturner (2010), Powerful Favorite (2019), and Tell Cartel (2020) in this exclusive derby club. The victory also etched trainer Paul Jones into the record books yet again; Jones has now won seven runnings of the El Primero, setting a new stakes record for most wins by a trainer in this prestigious event. He previously shared the mark with the legendary Blane Schvaneveldt.

Entering the final as the heavy favorite, Doodah Cartel came in with three wins from as many start this season and the emotional resonance of his namesake, the late Bernie Erickson. While his previous victories were marked by dominant surges and "see-it-to-believe-it" recoveries, Sunday’s final was a test of grit.

The winning connections of Doodah Cartel accept the $185,100 El Primero Del Año Derby (G2) trophy at Los Alamitos on Sunday. © William Zuazo

Breaking sharply from post number seven, Doodah Cartel took an immediate lead, but he was never allowed to relax. The resilient Brother Ray, owned by the partnership of Steve Burns, Jose Antonio Flores, Gerardo Herrera, and Javier Alvarez, lived up to his reputation as a top-flight stakes performer. Brother Ray, a finalist in last year's Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity, stayed glued to the favorite’s hip throughout the 400-yard dash, refusing to yield.

In a nail-biting finish, Doodah Cartel dug deep to hold off his rival by a hard-fought half-length. The winning time was a blistering :19.606, nearly a full tenth of a second faster than his top qualifying mark in the trials. His winning time is also the fastest in the El Primero since Tell Cartel won this race in :19.47. Henry Reynoso piloted Doodah Cartel, who has now won six of his 14 career outings. For his efforts, Doodah Cartel earned $78,154, pushing his career earnings to $340,553.

“It doesn’t get old,” Terry Thompson said about his colt’s current win streak. “This is fun and so far it’s been a great start to the 2026 season. He’s been an awesome horse and we’re enjoying every time he gets legged up. Henry has done a fantastic job, and Paul has done a great job of conditioning this horse and getting him ready to go. It’s been fun, it’s been a lot of fun. This doesn’t get old.”

The victory remains a deeply personal one for the Thompson family. Dedicated to the memory of Debbie Thompson’s father, Bernie Erickson—who famously used "Doodah" as his signature greeting—the colt’s undefeated 2026 campaign has rejuvenated the connections' passion for the sport.

With a four-for-four record and two derby trophies already on the mantel this season, Doodah Cartel now heads toward a well-deserved break before his next major target: the Governor’s Cup trials on July 5. If his performance on Sunday night was any indication, the "story of the season" is only getting started.

“We talked about it last time in that his demeanor in the saddling paddock is one where he almost looks like he's moping in there. He doesn’t use any extra energy. Then he gets on the track, and he bows up and Henry says he gets on the backside and warms up great. He’s starting to learn and mature. All that stuff is for a promising rest of this season. We’re excited.

“The Governor’s Cup is the next set of trials, but that’s so far away, so maybe he’ll go in the Dillingham, which is about 40 days away. Then he’ll get about 50 or so days off, but Doodah will tell us when he’s ready to go. So far, knock on wood, he’s been sound and he’s come back well after every trial and final. We just have to count our blessings and hope he keeps it going.”

And without a doubt, the Doodah Fan Club just keeps on growing.

“I tell you what, it is growing,” Thompson added. “It’s a lot of fun. Everyone wants to be part of a winner.”

Alexis Andrade, whose family operates Express Auto Finance in Phoenix, Arizona, is enjoying having the real horsepower of Doodah Cartel on his side.

“Back home I sell cars like candy bars,” Andrade said with a smile. “We work hard and hopefully we can buy more horses. This horse is making a childhood dream happen for me. I’ve been watching Terry and Paul since I was a kid; to have a partnership to be with them, it doesn’t get any better than this. Words can’t describe it. I feel honored and grateful.”

Brother Ray’s second-place finish signals that he will continue to be a major force to be reckoned with in the upcoming summer stakes. Ridden by Irving Lara for trainer Jose Flores, the Favorite Cartel gelding earned $31,878 for his runner-up effort.

Ed Allred’s More Of It, the second-fastest qualifier from the Scott Willoughby barn, continued his consistent form by finishing a solid third, further validating his elite pedigree as a son of Favorite Cartel out of the stakes-winning mare Up For It. With Gabriel Lara up, More Of It earned $22,624 for his third-place finish.

Cowboy Country 123, Cattail Coast, Jess A Lucky Charm, Accuzation, and Good Mischief completed the field. Unmarked was a late scratch.

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