Fastest-qualifier Famous Carmilita takes on the boys in Wild West Futurity
The filly Famous Carmilita has had a busy season throughout the West, leading to her stakes debut in Sunday’s $101,950 Wild West Futurity at Los Alamitos.
Famous Carmilita began her career at Weber Downs in Ogden, Utah, where she was sixth in the $12,000 consolation to the Hadley-Giles Futurity in May. At Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico over the summer, Famous Carmilita was beaten in time trials for the Rainbow and All American futurities, failing to qualify for either final.
Famous Carmilita had a breakthrough performance at Los Alamitos on Sept. 26, winning her debut at the California tracks in a division of the Wild West trials. Trained by Chris O’Dell for Moonshine Racing, Famous Carmilita set the fastest qualifying time of 17.77 seconds by winning the last of three trials.
The win puts Famous Carmilita at the fore of the contenders for the Wild West Futurity, which is restricted to horses who have made at least two starts at tracks in the Northwest, Arizona, Nevada, or Canada.
Famous Carmilita must beat trial race winners Branch Rickie and Richie Rich 1, and Zoomin for Trix, who won his first four starts.
Branch Rickie was timed in 18.06 seconds in the trials. Trained by Matt Fales, Branch Rickie was winless in three starts in Arizona earlier this year. Fales has three of the 10 finalists in the Wild West Futurity.
Richie Rich 1 was a two-time winner in Idaho during the summer and finished fifth in two minor futurities in that state. Richie Rich 1 was timed in 18.01 in the time trials.
Richie Rich 1 is one of four runners in the field trained by Monty Arrossa, who also starts Zoomin for Trix, who was beaten three-quarters of a length by Branch Rickie. In July, Branch Rickie was third in the $119,100 Bitterroot Futurity at Pocatello Downs in Idaho, the leading futurity in that state.