Apollitical Patty, Aint She Tempting big favorites in Golden State Derby trials
Apollitical Patty and Aint She Tempting dominated the Los Alamitos Oaks on March 27, sweeping the exacta for owner Julianna Hawn Holt and trainer Monty Arrossa.
The fillies are on the same career path.
Sunday, they start in separate divisions of the Golden State Derby trials at Los Alamitos, their first starts since the Los Alamitos Oaks. The runners with the 10 fastest times of the 13 horses entered in the 400-yard trials advance to the $197,770 final on Aug. 15.
Apollitical Patty and Aint She Tempting will be strong favorites in the trials.
Aint She Tempting starts in the eighth race, the first division of the trials. Aint She Tempting is part of a field of seven that includes Diva On Fire and Comaneci, who were fifth and sixth in the Los Alamitos Oaks.
Last year, Aint She Tempting was second in the Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park in May prior to a second in the Golden State Million Futurity at Los Alamitos in November.
A winner of 4 of 10 starts and $643,043, Aint She Tempting won a division of the Los Alamitos Oaks on March 6 and was beaten two lengths by Apollitical Patty in the final at 400 yards. On June 30, Aint She Tempting worked 220 yards in 12.5 seconds for Sunday’s time trial.
Apollitical Patty has won four consecutive starts, a span that began with the trials and final of the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity in November and December. Apollitical Patty was the 3-10 favorite in the Los Alamitos Oaks and will be about that price, or even less, on Sunday. She worked 220 yards in 12.4 seconds on June 30.
A winner of 8 of 10 starts and $1,077,042, Apollitical Patty will be ridden for the first time by Jesus Ayala, a replacement for Armando Cervantes, who is injured.
Apollitical Patty has only five rivals, including Dreamland Express, who was fourth in the Heritage Place Derby at Remington Park on May 29; and Reason to Fly MV, who was second in the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Breeders’ Futurity last October.