Apollitical Bet (inside) is one of 24 juveniles entered in the John Deere California Juvenile Challenge trials at Los Alamitos on Saturday.

© Amber

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–JULY 18, 2024–Clayton and Kaye Russell’s Apollitical Bet, who has two strong performances at Los Alamitos, will now headline the trials to the John Deere California Juvenile Challenge on Saturday night at Los Alamitos. The nine-race program will follow the final race of the opening day card at Del Mar. The first post time is 7:45 p.m. Pacific.                                       

Twenty-four juveniles will compete in three 350-yard trials to advance to the John Deere regional final. The runners with the ten fastest times will advance to the California final on August 10.         

Third to Governor’s Cup Futurity finalist Snow Bound in their racing debut on April 27, Apollitical Bet returned to win his Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity trial on May 26. The son of Apollitical Blood fought hard for the victory, edging La Peralta by a nose in the final of 12 trials to the million-dollar futurity.

Apollitical Bet’s winning time of :17.879 in that trial was just over 4/100ths of a second from tying Jess Send Kevin for the 10th fastest time on this marathon night of trials. Trainer Monty Arrossa must feel good about his young charge’s development and brings him to this race after posting a nice solo drill in :12.2 on June 29.                                         

Eleven of the 24 juveniles in the trials have visited the winner’s circle. They include Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity finalists Set The Edge and Zoomin On Home; Ride Em Cowboy, winner of a $23,000 consolation stakes at Turf Paradise; Toxic Details, who is a full sister to two-time World Champion Danjer; Born In The Blood, who won his Kindergarten trial; and Beloved Cartel V, who was second in a trial to the Ruidoso Futurity.