Favorite Doc's Golden State Million trial win says it all

Favorite Doc was sent from Los Alamitos to Ruidoso Downs in the summer after winning once in his first three races, a modest start to his career.

Favorite Doc returned to Los Alamitos this fall displaying a different level of ability.

On Oct. 18, Favorite Doc had his fourth start in a division of the Golden State Million Futurity trials, winning the 400-yard race by a remarkable 3 1/2 lengths to set the fastest qualifying time of 19.46 seconds for Sunday’s $1,104,550 final.

Favorite Doc figures to be favored in the 10-horse field, although stablemate Apollitical Patty – a trial race winner in 19.60 seconds – will be well backed.

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Favorite Doc and Apollitical Patty are trained by Monty Arrossa, who has a minor influence on the race with another runner, Aint She Tempting. Arrossa trained Aint She Tempting earlier this year when the filly won the $383,725 Oklahoma Futurity in March and was second by a head at 7-10 in the $826,260 Heritage Place Futurity in May. Those races were run at Remington Park.

Aint She Tempting is now trained by John Cooper, and was third in a division of the Golden State Million trials in 19.90 seconds, finishing behind Apollitical Patty and the previously unbeaten Counting the Ways.

Favorite Doc had two 220-yard workouts at Ruidoso Downs in July, but did not start at the New Mexico track. Favorite Doc was trained by Chris O’Dell at Los Alamitos for his first three starts, and moved to Arrossa’s stable when the gelding returned to California.

Apollitical Patty has won 4 of 5 starts with her only loss a quiet second in the California Juvenile Challenge at Los Alamitos in August. She did not race again until the Golden State Million trials.

Aint She Tempting, one of four fillies in the field, is one of four runners with experience in lucrative futurities.

Apollitical Gold and HR Princess Jess were third and fifth in the $3 million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs on Sept. 7. Trained by Eddie Willis, Apollitical Gold and HR Princess Jess won divisions of the Golden State Million Futurity trials. HR Princess Jess, who was fifth in the Heritage Place Futurity, was the quickest of the two, winning a trial in 19.81 seconds.

Constituent, a trial race winner on Oct. 18 in the respectable time of 19.73 seconds, won the $315,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity at Los Alamitos in July. Trained by Valentin Zamudio, Constituent has won 4 of 5 starts and may be slightly overlooked in the betting on Sunday.