Doodah Cartel will look to continue his unbeaten 2026 campaign when he competes in the Governor’s Cup Derby trials on Sunday, July 5, at Los Alamitos Race Course.

© William Zuazo

By Orlando Gutierrez

CYPRESS, CA–JULY 3, 2026– Every racing season produces amazing stories about outstanding horses. One of the stories of the season in 2026 has been the tremendous Doodah Cartel. On Sunday night, the top male in the sophomore division returns to the track with a mountain of momentum to headline the 400-yard trials for the $160,000 Governor’s Cup Derby.

Owned by Thompson Racing, Paul Jones, and Alexis Andrade, Doodah Cartel has been a visual marvel all year. After an impressive Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby victory on Valentine’s Day, the son of Favorite Cartel proved his love affair with Los Alamitos with a strong Grade 2 El Primero Del Año Derby win in late March. He broke on top, parsed out top speed, and dug deep to hold off a relentless Brother Ray by a hard-fought half-length in a blistering :19.606. That victory put Doodah Cartel into an select club, making him only the fourth horse at Los Alamitos to sweep the Winter Derby and El Primero in the same season—joining Headturner (2010), Powerful Favorite (2019), and Tell Cartel (2020).

“It doesn’t get old,” co-owner Terry Thompson said after the El Primero score. “So far, it’s been a great start to the 2026 season. He’s been an awesome horse, and we’re enjoying every time he gets legged up. Henry [Reynoso Lopez] has done a fantastic job, and Paul has done a great job of conditioning this horse and getting him ready to go.”

A perfect four for four this season, Doodah Cartel's career record now stands at six wins from 14 starts with $340,553 in lifetime earnings. Beyond the numbers, it is his professional growth that has his connections buzzing.

“He’s starting to learn and mature. All that stuff is for a promising rest of this season,” Thompson added. “He reminds me so much of [his sire] Favorite Cartel. Favorite Cartel wasn’t as quick of a breaker, but he had that big kick at the back end of it. This colt is starting to figure out the gate a little bit more. If he just gets good clean trips, we like his chances.”

As the "Doodah Fan Club" continues to grow, Sunday's trial is the first step toward a rare third derby title in a single season for Doodah. He’ll start in the second of two trials. The horses with the top 10 times in the trials will advance to the Governor’s Cup final on California Breeders Champions Night on Sunday, July 26.

In order to win this summer classic, Doodah Cartel will have to turn away a star-studded cast of familiar rivals and fresh challengers. Chief among them is the resilient Brother Ray. The Steve Burns, Jose Antonio Flores, Gerardo Herrera, and Javier Alvarez partner-owned colt stayed glued to Doodah Cartel's hip in the El Primero, missing by a hard-fought half-length. He enters the first of two trials hungry for a breakthrough stakes triumph.

Adding depth to the field is Shane Giles' SG Jacob Jay. After qualifying for the Winter Derby final, the talented Favorite Cartel colt successfully navigated the James Smith Memorial Handicap, hitting his top gear shortly after the start going away to win the race. SG Jacob Jay will be in action against Doodah Cartel.

The second trial will also feature Mayor Humdinger, the brilliant Mike Casselman trainee who won the Governor’s Cup Futurity last July. With three wins from five career starts, the son of Mpshinning enters this fray after making a successful 2026 debut on May 30, proving he is fully back in top form.

As for the opening trial, Shiny New will add some start power, as the multiple Grade 1 finalist will take on the males hoping to show her lethal early speed that has often accompanied her wins.

Ed Allred will have a strong contingent of sophomores in these trials including El Primero finalist More Of It and promising upstarts Hurry Up and Next Norco.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Would you like more industry news delivered directly to your inbox? Click here to sign up.