Already Favorite Leads Ten Fastest Qualifiers to $81,148 Alfredo Castro Rea Classic

Already Favorite posted the fastest qualifying time Sunday at Hipódromo de las Américas, leading the 10 qualifiers who will return for the $81,148 XI Clásico Alfredo Castro Rea on Sunday, September 20.

Nineteen 2-year-olds competed in two 350-yard trials Sunday, with the 10 fastest times advancing to the final. The $81,148 purse includes a $15,000 contribution from Cuadra Santa Elena.

Already Favorite topped the qualifiers with a :17.501 victory in the first trial. The Favorite Cartel colt races for Cuadra Los Chivos and was ridden by Mario Alberto Lopez Marmolejo.

Bred in the United States by Grant Farms LLC, Already Favorite is by Favorite Cartel and out of Shes Already Famous, by Mr Jess Perry. Carlos Alberto Jose Perez trains the $30,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale graduate.

Already Favorite now has two wins, two seconds and one third from five starts with earnings of more than $24,000. Prior to Sunday's fastest qualifying effort, he finished second by a half-length to Hard To Cowboy in the August 9 Jody's Glory Classic, completing 350 yards in :17.60. He also finished second in The Prize Classic earlier this season.

A Africana recorded the second-fastest qualifying time, winning the second trial in :17.536 for owner Rancho La 19. Paul Osvaldo Rodriguez had the riding assignment for trainer Cesar Garcia Serrano.

Bred by Armando Leon, A Africana is out of Spanish Cartel, by Corona Cartel. Trained by Cesar Garcia Serrano, the daughter of Apollitical Blood broke her maiden, improving her record to one win and one third from five starts. She entered Sunday's trials off a fifth-place finish in the August 9 Jody's Glory Classic.

Hard To Cowboy, winner of the Jody's Glory Classic in his previous start, qualified third-fastest Sunday after finishing second to Already Favorite in :17.627. The Flying Cowboy 123 colt races for Cuadra Bronco Rider. Cesar Garcia Serrano trains, and Arturo Vega Moreno was aboard Sunday.

Bred in the United States by Louis A. Malechek III, Hard To Cowboy is out of Hardtoget, by Foose. He was a $90,000 purchase at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.

Hard To Cowboy now has one win, one second and one third from five starts with earnings of more than $27,000. Prior to Sunday's runner-up qualifying effort, he won the August 9 Jody's Glory Classic, completing 350 yards in :17.55 and defeating Already Favorite by a half-length. He also finished fifth in the John Deere Juvenile Challenge earlier this season.

CLICK HERE for a complete list of qualifiers with times, sires, dams, owners, breeders and jockeys.

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