Preview Racing


Two Sets of Trials Set for Sunday at Grants Pass Downs
Grade 2 stakes winner Apolinaria Prize heads a group of 11 sophomores entered in two 400-yard Rogue River Derby trials during Sunday's eight-race program at Grants Pass Downs.

© Vince & Linda Williams
Two Sets of Trials Set for Sunday at Grants Pass Downs

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

GRANTS PASS, OR–JUNE 15, 2022–
Trials for the Firecracker Futurity and Rogue River Derby will dominate Sunday's eight-race program at Grants Pass Downs.

Thirty-six juveniles are entered in five 350-yard Firecracker Futurity trials. AJ Run For Cash and Ima Sixy Man will make their first career starts at Grants Pass Downs after shipping in from California.

A $63,000 yearling purchase at last year's Los Alamitos Equine Sale, AJ Run For Cash is trained by Emilio Guerrero for owner Boardshorts Stables LLC. The daughter of world champion Apollitical Jess is coming off of a 1 1/2-length victory in a 300-yard, $7,425 maiden-special weight dash for fillies at Los Alamitos on May 14.

AJ Run For Cash drew the rail post and will be ridden by Jose C. Guerrero in the first heat.

Ima Sixy Man is also trained by Guerrero for owner Boardshorts Stables LLC, and the Corona Cartel colt was an $82,000 yearling buy at last year's Los Alamitos Equine Sale. Ima Sixy Man made his debut with a neck victory in a 300-yard Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity (G2) trial at Los Alamitos on April 24.

Jose Guerrero will ride Ima Sixy Man from post 5 in the third trial.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the July 4, $30,000 Firecracker Futurity final.

Graded stakes winner Apolinaria Prize heads a group of 11 sophomores entered in two 400-yard Rogue River Derby trials.

A California-bred daughter of Fast Prize Cartel trained by Edwin F. Rosales for owner Ebelin Orozco, Apollinaria Prize will be stretching out in distance off of her third-place finish, three-quarters of a length behind winner The Secret Prize, in the May 22, 350-yard Gary & Sharilyn Blatner Memorial Derby at Pocatello Downs.

The filly won two stakes last year, including the 350-yard, $151,000 John Deere Juvenile Championship (G2) at The Downs at Albuquerque.

Apollinaria Prize drew post 3 and will be ridden by Cesar Moreno.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the July 3, $15,000-added Rogue River Derby final.

All Grants Pass Downs races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.