Grade 1-placed Train B Taka will head the Grade 2, $235,600 El Primero Del Año Derby at Los Alamitos Race Course on Sunday.

© William Zuazo

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–FEBRUARY 27, 2025–Train B Taka, second in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby and winner of the Holiday Handicap on this meet’s opening night, returns to action on Sunday evening to highlight the 400-yard trials to the Grade 2, $235,600 El Primero Del Año Derby.

A total of 29 males will compete in the four derby trials with the horses with the 10 fastest times advancing to the El Primero final on Sunday, March 23. The list of derby hopefuls will include 13 sophomores with Grade 1 stakes racing experience.

Owned by Cheryl Stokes, Armando Arreola and Tungsten Racing Partnership, Train B Taka has enjoyed a fine season at Los Alamitos and enters as one of the favorites in a very strong opening trial in race number six.

His first start of the meet came at the end of his juvenile campaign when outdueling Grade 1 Heritage Place Futurity finalist Hott Temptation in the running of the Holiday Handicap at 350 yards.

He was sensational in the trials to the Winter Derby, as outdueled Brown Coffeee by a nose in one of the best races so far this season. Brown Coffeee came back to win the final, but Train B Taka posted another terrific effort, finishing second in the final. Edwin Escobedo will pilot the son of Freighttrain B from post number three in the opening heat.

The opening trial will feature four other experienced Grade 1 stakes finalist in Show N Tell Cartel, Low And Fast, Party Time Tom and Fire Tools 123.

The list of top trialists also includes Buckway Ranch’s Favorite Cartel colt Ultimate Battle, the runner-up in the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity and Grade 2 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity last year.

A top contender in the final trial of the night, Ultimate Battle will be making his first start of the year and first since running in the Grade 1 Golden State Million final. Now trained by Eddie Willis, Ultimate Battle will be ridden by Justine Klaiber from post number two.

Mario Tellez Montiel’s Show N Tell Cartel and J. Francisco Diaz’s Cowboy Bolt are among the top names in the El Primero trials after racing in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity last year.

The two talented geldings finished sixth and ninth, respectively, in the Two Million final, but they both posted outstanding efforts to qualify for this track’s richest race.

Cowboy Bolt won his trial by a neck over fellow qualifier My Budd, while Show N Tell Cartel ran second to eventual Two Million winner Lethal Cowboy 123 in his trial.

Trained by Elena Andrade, Show N Tell Cartel will be looking for an improved effort from his sophomore debut when finishing fifth in his Winter Derby trial. He’ll break from post number one when he faces Train B Taka and the rest of top runners in the first trial. Meanwhile, Cowboy Bolt will be one of the top runners squaring off against Ultimate Battle in the final heat.

Other top names in action in the El Primero trials include Lo Alamitos Winter Derby finalists Fire Tools 123, Favorite Semental, and Jess Send Kevin. As previously mentioned Fire Tools 123 will be in action in the opening heat, while Favorite Semental will start from the outside post in trial number two. Jess Send Kevin will start from the rail in trial number three.

EG High Desert Farms’ Favorite Jesshawk, winner of the Restricted Grade 1 Governor’s Cup Futurity, is the top name in the second derby while, while Jess Send Kevin is among the favorite is a wide-open third trial that also includes Ed Burke Million finalist Big Hurt and Governor’s Cup finalist Midnight Mood.

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For more information, please get in touch with larace@losalamitos.com. You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @losalracing or visit us online at www.losalamitos.com.

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