Apollitical Jess sets track record in Los Alamitos Super Derby

Apollitical Jess lowered the Los Alamitos 400-yard track record to 19.13 seconds with an emphatic victory in Saturday’s $1,052,000 Los Alamitos Super Derby for Quarter Horses.

Ridden by Eduardo Nicasio, Apollitical Jess ($2.60) broke well, led throughout and won by a half-length over 11-1 Divide the Cash. Forrest Fire, a 20-1 shot, finished third in the field of eight, with Runnning Brook Gal, the winner of the 2009 All American Futurity, only finishing seventh.

The Los Alamitos Super Derby win gave Apollitical Jess an automatic berth to the $750,000 Champion of Champions on Dec. 11, a race that annually plays a pivotal role in determining the Quarter Horse World Champion.

In that race, Apollitical Jess will face reigning World Champion Freaky, who held the previous 400-yard track record of 19.15 seconds, set in 2009.

Apollitical Jess, a 4-year-old colt by Mr Jess Perry, races for Juan Alberto Tirado Lizarraga and trainer Juan Aleman. Apollitical Jess has won 7 of 13 starts and $1,016,260.