Contentious fulfills promise with Governor's Cup win
CYPRESS, Calif. – On an evening of minor upsets in three six-figure stakes, the filly Contentious ran to long-term expectations with a narrow win in Sunday’s $290,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity for Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos.
Contentious ($11.60) finished a head in front of 5-1 Lonely At Night. Ridden by Eduardo Nicasio, Contentious recovered from a slightly slow start to finish the 350-yard race in 17.78 seconds.
Shes Jess Shinning (16-1) finished third, while 8-5 favorite Terrific Favorite could only finish fifth after breaking to the outside at the start.
Contentious, by Favorite Cartel, won for the third time in five starts. Owned by Manuel Chavez and Jose Santos, Contentious won her first two starts for trainer Jose Flores.
Contentious was the fastest qualifier for the Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity on May 10 but was not allowed to start. She and two other horses trained by Flores were withdrawn from the Kindergarten after they were found to have been given intra-articular injections prior to undergoing radiographs for diagnostic purposes. In California, radiographs must precede intra-articular injections.
Contentious was transferred to Paul Jones in May.
Earlier on Sunday’s program, Up for Everything ($22.80) led throughout the $100,000 Spencer Childers Handicap for horses 3 years old and older, while Brother Ray ($11.40) won a three-horse photo in the $165,000 Governor’s Cup Derby.
Jockey Irving Lara rode Up for Everything and Brother Ray.
Up for Everything won for the seventh time in his 29-race career in the Childers, finishing a neck in front of 6-1 Winners Share. Cattail Cove, a 9-year-old gelding making his 63rd start, could only manage third as the 9-10 favorite. Cattail Cove broke slowly and closed considerable ground to lose by a half-length.
Up for Everything, a 6-year-old gelding, is trained by Scott Willoughby for owner and breeder Ed Allred, who owns Los Alamitos.
Brother Ray finished a nose in front of 4-1 Mayor Humdinger, the winner of the 2025 Governor’s Cup Futurity. Doodah Cartel, the 7-10 favorite, could only finish third, a neck behind Mayor Humdinger, after a troubled start. The loss ended a five-race winning streak for Mayor Humdinger.
Brother Ray is trained by Flores, who co-owns the gelding with Steve Burns, Gerardo Herrera, and Javier Alvarez Rodriguez. Earlier this year, Brother Ray was second to Doodah Cartel in the El Primero Del Ano Derby in March. Brother Ray won a division of the Governor’s Cup Derby time trials on July 5 and has won 5 of 11 career starts.
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