Fastest qualifier Chicks First Flash is among the 10 juveniles that will race in the Grade 2 $257,500 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

© Amber Mendez

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—MAY 13, 2022—Fastest qualifier Chicks First Flash and the undefeated runners One Sweet Duck and Muy Bien Corona are among the 10 juveniles that will race in the first futurity of the season, the Grade 2, $257,500 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity on Sunday at Los Alamitos.   

Ten 2-year-olds will be in action in this historic race at 300 yards, which was first held at Los Alamitos in 1955. Since then, the Kindergarten has featured some of the biggest names in the history of Quarter Horse racing such as Jet Deck, Easy Date, Town Policy, Tolltac, First Down Dash, Corona Chick and Corona Cartel.

The Kindergarten will be contested as the 10th race on the card with an approximate post time of 9:48 p.m. First post time on Sunday is 6:05 p.m. (PDT).

Owned by Five Livestock Company and Steve Wright, the Idaho-bred Chicks First Flash enters the Kindergarten after a terrific wire-to-wire ½ length victory over second fastest qualifier Mornings With Maria. Chicks First Flash was the runner-up in his racing debut when being a part of the meet’s fastest 220-yard race.

After his game effort in his first outing, the gelding by First Moonflash ran lights out in his Kindergarten trial on April 24, leaving the gate swiftly from the outside post eight and enjoying clear sailing from there to beat the fast-starting Mornings With Maria and fellow Kindergarten finalist Smokin Hot Fire.   

Trained by Monty Arrossa, Chicks First Flash will start from post number five in the Kindergarten final. The morning line favorite at 5-2 odds, Chicks First Flash will be ridden by Armando Cervantes.

Arrossa and Cervantes won last year’s running of the Kindergarten with Dennis Jensen and Randy Young’s Fire Fast Honey. Arrossa will saddle four starters in the Kindergarten including Valiantli for Jensen and Young. A trial winner from the outside post, Valiantli will start from post 10 here.

Keith Nellesen’s Muy Bien Corona has been a model of professionalism in his first two career starts. He was one of the meet’s first juvenile winners, posting a ¾ length victory on March 26. The Heath Taylor-trained runner then outdueled eventual Kindergarten finalist Navaja by a half-length while posting the third fastest qualifying time.

His sire is the previously mentioned Corona Cartel, the winner of the Kindergarten in 1996, and his dam is Lady Perry On Fire, a stakes placed runner who earned over $26,000. Eduardo Nicasio will ride Muy Bien Corona from post six.

Lex Fabrizio’s One Sweet Duck has won both of her career starts by ¾ lengths, including a gate-to-wire score from the rail in the trials. The One Sweet Jess filly out of the 18-time winner Duck Dash N Go will start from post number one in the final. Ruben Lozano will pilot her for Arrossa.

The other Arrossa trainee is J Perfect Deal, a $10,000 purchase at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale by owner Hector Cuevas. The colt by Docs Best Card was third to Muy Bien Corona in the  trials and was also third in his debut against a field that included Kindergarten trial winner and finalist One Sweet Bar.

Sired by Five Bar Cartel, the winner of the Ed Burke Million Futurity in 2013, One Sweet Bar will look to give owner J. Francisco Diaz and his son, Lindolfo Diaz, their second win in the Kindergarten.

The father and son team won the 2019 running with Chayito Cartel, who was ridden to victory by Jesus Rios Ayala on that night. Rios Ayala will ride One Sweet Bar from post number four on Sunday night.

Jesus Nava’s homebred filly Navaja finished ahead of Mornings With Maria in their racing debut and then ran nicely from the rail when second to Muy Bien Corona in the trials. The daughter of Walk Thru Fire will start from an inside position once again, as she’s drawn post number two with Jose Nicasio up.

Walk Thru Fire sired last year’s Kindergarten win, Fire Fast Honey. Walk Thru Fire is also the sire of Rojas Racing and Juan H. Moya’s Smokin Hot Fire, who’ll start from post number seven for trainer Ricardo Guillen. Cesar Franco will pilot the $32,000 Equine Sale purchase.

Trainer Jaime Gomez already owns the Kindergarten record for most wins with eight in his career. He’ll look for number nine with Fraq Attack, who was recently purchased by Valeriano Racing from breeders Jim Streelman and Bill Dale.

Oscar Peinado will ride Fraq Attack from post nine. The biggest cheering section will certainly belong to Mornings With Maria, who is owned by cousins Javier Barragan, Jr. and Enrique Becerra and partner Miguel Gomez.

A large contingent from the Barragan, Becerra and Gomez will be on track rooting on the Equine Sale grad.

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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 losalamitos.com.