Black Fryday prevails after rough start in Southern California Derby

Black Fryday, a stakes winner in July who had struggled at the start in recent races, won Friday’s $162,850 Southern California Derby for 3-year-old Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos despite sustaining a bump at the start.

Ridden by Eddie Garcia, Black Fryday ($8.40) won by a neck over 8-1 Eyes the Favorite, who closed well after a troubled start. Black Fryday ran 400 yards in 19.77 seconds, earning $68,397 for Ron Hartley and trainer John Cooper.

Black Fryday had the lead midway through the Southern California Derby.

Jess My Kiss, an 18-1 chance, finished third, a neck behind Eyes the Favorite. A Political Lady, the 8-5 favorite, stumbled at the start and did not recover, finishing sixth in the field of 10.

Black Fryday, a gelding by Favorite Cartel, has won 6 of 18 starts and earned $336,953. Black Fryday won the Governor’s Cup Derby in July, but was fifth in the Los Alamitos Super Derby on Nov. 11 after displaying fractious behavior in the gate.

In the time trials for the Southern California Derby on Nov. 30, Black Fryday was again upset in the gate and finished second in a division of the trials.

Cooper indicated Black Fryday will be pointed for the Los Alamitos Winter Championship, which has time trials on Jan. 20 and a final on Feb. 10.