Cattail Cove strictly one to beat in Vandys Flash Handicap

With earnings of $372,407, Cattail Cove has amassed more prize money than his six rivals combined in Sunday’s $25,000 Vandys Flash Handicap for 3-year-olds at 400 yards at Los Alamitos.

What Cattail Cove lacks is a stakes win. Last year, Cattail Cove was third in the $365,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity in July and second to eventual champion 2-year-old filly Cartel Jess Rockin in the $1,903,275 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity in December.

Cattail Cove will have his 3-year-old debut in the Vandys Flash against rivals who have won a total of $218,184.

Trained by Juan Aleman, Cattail Cove has won 3 of 7 starts. He won time trials for the Governor’s Cup and Los Alamitos Million futurities and an allowance race last year. After the Two Million Futurity, there was a bit of drama when Cattail Cove fell and unseated jockey Carlos Huerta. Cattail Cove, who did not appear to be injured in the incident, was vanned to Aleman’s stable as a precaution.

A gelding by top stallion Favorite Cartel, Cattail Cove had two 220-yard workouts in May and June in preparation for his comeback. Huerta has the mount on Sunday.

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The Vandys Flash field includes John Carter Cash and Up and Coming who were first and third in the Dillingham Handicap at 400 yards on May 16.

John Carter Cash, trained by Valentin Zamudio, was fifth in the Los Alamitos Winter Derby in February when trained by Jaime Gomez.

Cattail Cove, John Carter Cash, and Up and Coming are the only runners in the Vandys Flash with wins at 400 yards.

There are two fillies in the field – Fashin Icon and Fly the Heights. Fashin Icon, trained by Matt Fales, won a $25,000 claimer at 300 yards on May 30. She was second in the AB What a Runner Stakes for 3-year-old fillies in January.

Fly the Heights, trained by Scott Willoughby, has won 2 of 6 starts and will have her stakes debut in the Vandys Flash.

Willoughby also starts the improving gelding Doctor Gene, who won an allowance race at 330 yards on May 30 for his second win in six starts. Doctor Gene and Fly the Heights are owned by Los Alamitos track chairman Ed Allred.

First post time for the Sunday evening program is 6 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.