Bac in Front set for stakes debut in La Primera Del Ano Derby

Bac in Front is perfect in three starts this year at Los Alamitos, a winning streak that will be tested in Friday’s $205,200 La Primera Del Ano Derby for 3-year-old Quarter Horse fillies.

The La Primera is the stakes debut for Bac in Front, who won a division of the Golden State Million Futurity trials last November but did not qualify for the final, which was run in December.

After finishing second in an allowance race in December, Bac in Front is unbeaten in three starts for owner Francisco Vega and trainer Jaime Gomez, having been acquired privately by the owner in late December. The winning streak includes two allowance races, including one against males, and a division of the La Primera trials on March 14.

Bac in Front set the fastest qualifying time of 19.71 seconds for 400 yards in the time trials.

“She likes to run,” Gomez said on trial night. “When she gets going, she doesn’t stop.”

On Friday, Carlos Huerta will ride Bac in Front, who is part of a field of 10. The field includes trial winners Take a Look (19.92) and Run by You (20.31). Take a Look won the California Breeders’ Freshman Stakes last July. Run by You was fifth in the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Breeders’ Futurity last October.

The field also includes A Goddess Thru Fire, who was third to Take a Look in the La Primera trials. A Goddess Thru Fire, trained by Paul Jones, was second in the PCQHRA Futurity and won the minor Corona Chick Stakes last December.