Dunn Ranch’s Ed Burke Million winner, Up To Party, will be among the 48 juveniles that will race in the trials to the Grade 2 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

© William Zuazo

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–AUGUST 23, 2024–Led by Dunn Ranch’s Up To Party and Buckway Ranch’s Ultimate Battle, the first and second place finishers in the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity on June 16, a total of 18 graded futurity finalists will be among the 48 juveniles that will race in the trials to the Grade 2 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

Six trials will be contested with eight runners taking part in each of the trials at 350 yards. The horses with the 10 fastest times will advance to the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity final to be held here on Sunday, September 15.

The trials will have plenty of quality sprinters as the 18 finalists include nine out of the 10 horses that ran in the Governor’s Cup Futurity on July 27; five Ed Burke Million finalists; three Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity finalists; and two John Deere Los Alamitos Juvenile Challenge finalists. By the way, the only Governor’s Cup runner not to be in action in these trials is first place finisher Favorite Jesshawk.

Of course, the marquee names are Up To Party and Ultimate Battle following their success in the million dollar Ed Burke. Up To Party, a filly by Kiddy Up, was the star of the Ed Burke night as she won the 350-yard dash a ½ length to remain unbeaten in three career starts.

The Monty Arrossa trainee will return to action in these trials with Armando Cervantes piloting her from post four in the fifth of six PCQHRA Breeders trials. The trials will begin in the third on Sunday’s card and will continue through the eighth race. While Up To Party will be in the fifth trial, she’ll actually be in action in the seventh race of the night.

Bred by Ed Allred and Tom Siebly, Up To Party was purchased for $12,000 at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale last year. Her dam is the Golden State Million Futurity winner The Partys On Fire. So far in her first three starts, Up To Party has not been on the lead right out of the gate, but she’s been in control of the race once she’s passed the gap in each of her three starts.

Others to watch in this trial are Lex Fabrizio, Dennis Jensen and Randy Young’s  Kindergarten finalist Hey Wauss and Allred’s Call Her Perfect, who scored a 2 ½ length win in her maiden victory when making her second career start on June 1.

Starting in the opening trial, which is race number three, Levins Racing LLC’s Bottle It Up, the runner-up to the impressive Apollitical Bet in the John Deere, is among the top contenders.

This trial will also feature recent Ruidoso Futurity trial winner D Fawn, a filly by Uncle D racing for Cavenaugh Quarter Horses, LLC.

The next trial will be headed by AGMW Racing’s Fear N Fridays, who is the only runner in the trials to have already qualified to more than one futurity this year. Fear N Fridays was the top qualifier to the Kindergarten and was the seventh fastest qualifier to the Ed Burke.

Alipio Burgos and Jorge Quintero’s Malynche, fourth in the Governor’s Cup, and Steve Burns and Mike Casselman’s Competent, who was sixth in the Governor’s Cup, are among the top contenders in this heat.

The third trial, which is race number five on the card, will feature four juveniles with stakes experience. Travis and Wendy Sexton’s Midnight Mood ran third in the Governor’s Cup will start from the rail in this heat.

Jose Flores, Layne Sprouse and Mark and Marta Winslow’s Robs Reason, who was part of the Ed Burke final, is also in this race as is Keith Nellesen’s Kindergarten finalist Zoomin On Home and Reliance Ranches’ Governor’s Cup finalist Snow Bound.

The fourth trial will feature Dunn Ranch’s Party Time Tom, a full brother to Up To Party and the runner-up in the Governor’s Cup, taking on Flores and Javier Rodriguez’s Big Hurt, who began his career with two impressive wins before running eighth after very troubled race in the Ed Burke.

Party Time Tom has finished second or third in all four of his career outings but is still looking for his first victory.

The sixth and final trial, race eight, will be led by Ultimate Battle, who has been runner-up in all three of his career starts. He was second to Up To Party in the million dollar Ed Burke, finishing a full length ahead of third place finisher Devils Tower. Oscar Andrade and Burns’ Mas Pietra and Allred’s Listen Now, both Governor’s Cup particpants, are among the juveniles in action in the final trial.

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For more info' please contact larace@losalamitos.com. Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @losalracing or visit us online at www.losalamitos.com.