Chance to Excel could show he's special in Burke Futurity

The brilliantly quick gelding Chance to Excel was in rare company when he set the fastest qualifying time in the June 7 trials for Sunday’s $1.11 million Ed Burke Million Futurity at Los Alamitos.

Chance to Excel won a division of the 350-yard trials in 17.31 seconds, the fastest time at the distance by a 2-year-old at Los Alamitos since Heza Dasha Fire won the 2014 Ed Burke in 17.22.

Heza Dasha Fire was champion 2-year-old gelding in 2014 and World Champion the following year.

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Chance to Excel, owned by Valeriano Racing, is unbeaten in two starts for trainer Monty Arrossa and matured rapidly through the spring.

“When we first got him, he was a little wild,” Arrossa told Los Alamitos publicity on June 7. “We had a hard time ponying him. We spent a lot of extra time walking, relaxing him, and doing things just trying to get him to calm down and be quiet at the racetrack. It’s paid off for us.”

After finishing sixth in his first start in a maiden race on April 25 for trainer Chris O’Dell, Chance to Excel was transferred to Arrossa. Chance to Excel won a 300-yard maiden race by 1 1/4 lengths on May 16 and a trial for the Ed Burke by 1 3/4 lengths as the 6-5 favorite.

Terrific Temper, second to Chance to Excel in the trials, had the second-fastest qualifying time for the Burke.

As impressive as Chance to Excel was in the trials, he has a more accomplished rival in the Burke in the filly La Jaconde, winner of the $279,200 Kindergarten Futurity on May 17 at Los Alamitos.

In the time trials, La Jaconde was a comfortable winner under jockey Oscar Pienado by 1 3/4 lengths in 17.64. Owned by Balgo Racing and trained by Jaime Gomez, La Jaconde has won 3 of 4 starts and earned $123,239. She had a clean trip in the trials and recorded the fifth-fastest time.

“Nobody was around her, and Oscar didn’t have to push her,” Gomez said on trial night. “We have tough competition in the final. That is when it matters.”

Strange Fellow won for the first time in his third start in the trials, finishing a nose in front of fellow qualifier BF Outfoosed in 17.63 for the third-fastest time. Strange Fellow is trained by Jose Flores, who looked after Heza Dasha Fire.