Defending Champ, Favorite Jesshawk meet again in Golden State Derby

A nose separated Defending Champ and Favorite Jesshawk when they were first and second in a division of the Golden State Derby trials on Aug. 16 at Los Alamitos. Saturday’s $197,300 final could be equally as close.

Defending Champ set the fastest qualifying time for the Golden State Derby, finishing 400 yards in 19.64 seconds. Favorite Jesshawk had the second-fastest time of 19.65.

There were three time trials. Beach Walk won the first division in 19.85 seconds, and Robs Reason won the second in 19.96. Both would need to show massive improvement to give Defending Champ or Favorite Jesshawk a threat in the Golden State Derby, the track’s leading summertime race for 3-year-olds.

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Aside from a hearty purse, only regional pride is at stake. The national 3-year-old division is led by Fdd Dreams, who won the $793,066 Ruidoso Derby at Ruidoso Downs in June and the $1.08 million All American Derby at The Downs at Albuquerque on Monday.

The domination of Defending Champ and Favorite Jesshawk in the trials was predictable.

Defending Champ, owned by Ed Allred and trained by Scott Willoughby, has won 5 of 6 starts this year. He was beaten a head when second in the $235,600 El Primero Del Ano Derby in March and won the $170,400 Governor’s Cup Derby in July.

Defending Champ gave Willoughby his 100th stakes win at Los Alamitos in the Governor’s Cup Derby.

Defending Champ, winless in six starts in 2024, won a maiden race in his first race this year in February.

“He finishes so strong now,” Willoughby told Los Alamitos publicity after Defending Champ’s recent trial race win.

“He’s just a big, powerful horse. He’s come around really well this year. He’s not one of those that gets all stirred up.

“He just loves going down the track.”

Favorite Jesshawk, owned by Enrique Gonzalez’s EG High Desert Farm and trained by Jesus Nunez, has been second to Defending Champ in his last two starts, including a loss by three-quarters of a length in the Governor’s Cup Derby.

A winner of 5 of 14 starts, Favorite Jesshawk will start from post 2 in the Golden State Derby, while Defending Champ drew the outside post.

Beach Walk is one of two fillies in the field, along with the Gonzalez-owned Its On You.

Beach Walk, trained by Juan Aleman, has yet to win a stakes, but was third in the $430,000 Los Alamitos Oaks at 400 yards in March. Its On You was third behind Beach Walk in the Golden State Derby trials and third in the Governor’s Cup Derby.

Saturday’s race is the 3-year-old stakes debut of Robs Reason, who has won his last two starts, including an allowance race at 300 yards on June 28 to end a nine-race losing streak since May 2024.

Trained by Jose Flores, Robs Reason was ninth in the $1.01 million Ed Burke Million Futurity in June 2024 in his only previous start in a stakes.

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