De Alba well-stocked for Governor's Cup Futurity and Derby trials
Favorite Colossus, winner of the $225,200 El Primero Del Ano Derby for 3-year-olds colts and geldings at Los Alamitos in March, could complete an important weekend for trainer Cesar De Alba when the colt starts in a division of Sunday’s Governor’s Cup Derby trials.
Owned by Jeff and Michelle Cravens, Favorite Colossus starts in the second of two 400-yard time trials on Sunday, and is by far in the tougher race. There are 15 horses in the two trials. The 10 runners with the fastest final times, regardless of finishing position, advance to the $175,000 final on July 31.
Favorite Colossus is part of a field of eight that includes Counting the Ways, a minor stakes winner in 2020 who has not raced since finishing last of 10 in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity in December, and BF Outfoosed, who was third in the El Primero Del Ano Derb
BF Outfoosed returned to win a 350-yard allowance race on May 15 in his only subsequent start. Favorite Colossus has started once since the El Primero Del Ano Derby, finishing fourth by a half-length as the 1-2 favorite in a 350-yard allowance race on May 23 after sustaining a bump from a rival at the start.
In the first division, Monopolist and Two Strike Surprise, third and fourth in the Los Alamitos Winter Derby in February, will dominate the betting.
De Alba, a former top rider at Los Alamitos, has two starters in Saturday’s six trials for the Governor’s Cup Futurity, which will be run on July 31 with a purse of $310,000.
The De Alba-trained Call it Close, second by a nose in the minor Fred Scane Handicap for 2-year-old fillies at 350 yards on June 19, has a tough assignment in the fourth race, the second division. Her rivals include Fire Fast Honey, who won the $297,900 Kindergarten Futurity at 300 yards on May 16.
Later on the program, She Goes Up, third in the Scane, starts in the seventh race against Favorite Honey, an impressive maiden race winner on June 11. De Alba has an outsider in that field in Aquatic, a maiden race winner at 300 yards in her third career start on May 29.
The July 31 program is devoted to stakes for California-bred Quarter Horses.