Feel the Roar still improving

Feel the Roar will be favored to take the next step toward the Grade 1 echelon of the West Coast juvenile ranks in the Grade 3, $24,480 Ford California Challenge on Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

Feel the Roar lived up to his 4-5 odds in his Ford trial when he drew out to a 1 3/4-length victory over La Jolla Ca, third-place finisher in the Grade 1 Kindergarten. Feel the Roar is in peak form with three straight victories, all by daylight, in the past two months.

He won his maiden July 1 in his third start, then backed up that 1 1/4-length win with a 1 3/4-length victory in a nonwinners-of-two allowance. He then won his Ford trial in 17.475 seconds for the 350 yards, the fastest qualifying time from three trials.

"He just keeps getting better and better," trainer Paul Jones said. "I like this horse a lot."

La Jolla Ca will be back for another try against Feel the Roar in the Ford finals. After his third-place finish in the Kindergarten, he finished third in his Ed Burke Futurity trial before running second in his Ford trial.