Favored Jeriko captures Los Alamitos Super Derby

Jeriko, who was beaten in two seven-figure futurities in 2022 and failed to qualify to two leading derbys at Ruidoso Downs earlier this year, won his first major race in Sunday’s $903,650 Los Alamitos Super Derby at 400 yards.

The win was well-earned.

After breaking slowly and trailing by about a length in the first 100 yards, Jeriko zoomed to the front in the final 100 yards to win by a half-length over the accomplished Sicario V, the 3-1 second choice.

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Sent off favored, Jeriko ($5.20) ran 400 yards in 19.60 seconds.

Party Politics, the winner of major stakes as a 2-year-old and earlier this year, finished third as the 4-1 third choice, a nose behind Sicario V.

Sicario V won the Rainbow Derby at Ruidoso Downs in July.

The first two finishers are trained by Heath Taylor. Jeriko, owned and bred by Bobby Cox of Fort Worth, earned a berth in the $750,000 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos on Dec. 9 with the Super Derby win.

The race had 10 qualifiers, but nine starters. Apocalipsis V, the fastest qualifier from time trials on Oct. 15, was withdrawn because of injury, Taylor said.

Jeriko, a gelding by One Famous Eagle, has won 7 of 11 starts and earned $809,179.

Earlier in his career, Jeriko was fourth in the $1.08 million Golden State Million Futurity in October 2022, and second in the $1.88 million Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity last December.

Taylor also started Hes Judgeandjury, the winner of the $3 million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs in 2022, who finished last after breaking slowly and losing his running lane because of a troubled trip.

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