Contentious headlines the Grade 2 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity after posting the fastest qualifying time of :15.678 for trainer Jose Flores during trials at Los Alamitos Race Course.

© William Zuazo

By Orlando Gutierrez

CYPRESS, CA–MAY 7, 2026– Horse racing is often a game of numbers, and this Sunday night in the Grade 2, $254,500 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity the numbers belong to trainer Jose Flores. In tremendous display of stable strength, Flores will saddle a staggering seven of the ten finalists in the first futurity of the season.

The top storylines for this year's Kindergarten focused on both the "Flores Seven" and the wave of "Girl Power" in this event. Of the ten juveniles who clawed their way through a competitive trials session, eight are fillies. The Oklahoma-bred gelding Monday Dynasty and the colt Teller Looks MRL stand alone as the only males standing in the way of a feminine sweep of the top three spots in the 72nd running of this race.                                                                                    

At the center of it all is Contentious, a Favorite Cartel filly who has quickly become the divisional benchmark. Owned by Manuel Chavez and Jose Santos, Contentious has proven she can overcome adversity, having recovered from a rough, bobbling start in her trial that would have ended most horse's chances to qualify.                                                    

Instead, she displayed a veteran’s poise under jockey Irving Lara, regaining her stride and surging past her trial rivals to a half-length victory. Her time of :15.678 was the fastest of the night. She's also the owner of the fastest mark for a 2-year-old at 220 yards his season.

For her owner, Jose Santos (photo), the moment is a poignant chapter in a long-awaited comeback. One of the most prominent owners of the Los Alamitos backstretch in the early 2000s, Santos stepped away from the sport for nearly a decade before returning in 2024. “The Good Lord gave me the opportunity to come back and do what I love,” Santos reflected.                                                                             

Santos campaigning horses like Champion of Champions finalists and Grade 1 winners Frankie Shoots and Buccaneer Beach, graded stakes placed runner In Dispute, and Grade 3 winner Kash To Splash. Santos stepped away from racing for nearly a decade before slowly bringing back his racing operation in 2024.                                    

“I was under the weather for a long, long period of time but the Good Man gave me opportunity to come back and to stay until the time comes. This is what I love. This is life. I thought I was gone, but I have this opportunity to come back. I have 11 horses right now.”             

Jockey Irving Lara, who had a tremendous night with three trial victories, is hoping that his mount, Contentious, is able to continue her winning roll. "Contentious had minor trouble in the gate," he said. "She bobbled back there and it cost her a little bit. Once she got a hold of the track, she started doing great work."      

While Contentious is the definite headliner, the rest of the Flores juggernaut is equally formidable. Bridgewater and My Favorite Paris clocked the second and third fastest times, respectively, ensuring that Flores occupies the top three rungs of the qualifying ladder. His roster is rounded out by the undefeated Cyber Eyes, the professional Jaque, the gritty Call Me Candela, and the blue-blooded Romoland.    

From the rail, the field will star as follows: Cyber Eyes, Teller Looks MRL, Contentious, AP Eagle Heart, Romoland, Jaque, My Favorite Paris, Bridgewater, Call Me Candela, and Monday Dynasty.

Here's a closer look at these high-caliber juveniles from the Jose Flores barn:                                                                                                                                   
• Bridgewater (:15.727): This Mpshinning filly, who chased Contentious to post the second-fastest time, is out of the graded stakes-placed runner and $66,000 earner No Arizona.

• My Favorite Paris (:15.765): Securing the third-fastest time for owners Larry Stewart and Jerardo Herrera, this Favorite Cartel filly is out of Paris Prize, a two-time winner, $32k earner, and stakes-placed mare.

• Cyber Eyes (:15.786): An Arizona-bred filly by Cyber Monday out of Jess Racy Eyes (a daughter of Grade 1 finalist Miss Racy Eyes). She remains undefeated in two starts for the partnership of Mark and Marta Winslow, Julio Encinas, and Flores.

• Call Me Candela (:15.792): A daughter of Call Me Cole out of two-time winner DF First Down Cartel, she secured a win for owner Miguel Osorio.

• Jaque (:15.798): This KVN Corona filly is out of Ivys Storm, a multiple stakes-placed $43k earner. Owned and bred by Rojas Racing, she is now two-for-two.

•Romoland (:15.779): Although second in her trial, this Favorite Cartel filly qualified easily. She is out of top producer Bartiromo, the dam of stakes winner Market Analyst and graded stakes finalists Mornings With Maria and Wire Fraud.

The Challengers

While Flores holds the numbers, three other conditioners look to play the role of spoiler:

• AP Eagle Heart (:15.768): Trained by Adan Farias, this Mpshinning filly has won two of her three starts after taking the final trial of the night, clocking the fourth-fastest time overall.

• Monday Dynasty (:15.789): Conditioned by James J. Gonzales II, the gelding won a desperate duel in his trial and represents the strongest male threat in the field.

• Teller Looks MRL (:15.814): Trained by Jaime Gomez—who holds the record for most Kindergarten wins with eight—this colt secured his spot with a late-closing effort.

Flores, a four-time Kindergarten winner, remains humble despite the odds of a fifth win in this race for his barn. “The Kindergarten is not always won by the fastest; it’s won by the smartest,” Flores noted. “These fillies are smart, but they’re still learning. It’s a long road ahead.”

Flores credited his success to a specific strategy. “We started picking up some great fillies like Contentious and Bridgewater,” he said.

The quest for a "Flores Monopoly" will face its stiffest challenge from three outside barns. AP Eagle Heart, a daughter of Mpshinning trained by Adan Farias, showed immense heart to win the final trial of the evening in :15.768, the fourth-fastest overall mark. For owner Levaughn Gines, she represents his first California stakes finalist since returning to the game after a long hiatus.

Meanwhile, the boys will look to stage an upset of their own. Monday Dynasty, an Oklahoma-bred gelding conditioned by James J. Gonzales II, arrives after winning a hard-fought nose-to-nose duel in his trial. Rounding out the field is Teller Looks MRL, trained by Jaime Gomez. While he was the tenth-fastest qualifier, he cannot be overlooked; Gomez holds the record for most Kindergarten victories with eight, proving that the final spot in the gate is often just a starting point for a champion.

The stage is set for a 300-yard sprint where there is zero margin for error. On Sunday night, we find out if the "Flores Seven" can finish the job, or will the Farias trainee or one of the talented boys in the field spoil the script for the Flores juggernaut.              

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