Jeriko takes another shot at rich prize in Los Alamitos Super Derby

At times in his career, the Quarter Horse gelding Jeriko has come close to winning a seven-figure stakes at Los Alamitos.

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.

After failing to qualify for the Rainbow and All American derbies at Ruidoso Downs over the summer, Jeriko has another chance for a massive prize in Sunday’s $935,650 Los Alamitos Super Derby at 400 yards.

While the purse may be short of seven figures, the race holds significant prestige as the West Coast’s leading derby, and one of the nation’s leading races for the division.

Owned by Bobby Cox of Fort Worth, Texas, Jeriko is one of four finalists trained by Heath Taylor. He starts Apocalipsis V, who set the fastest qualifying time of 19.65 seconds in time trials for the Super Derby on Oct. 15; Hes Judgeandjury, winner of the $3 million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs in September 2022; and Sicario V, winner of the $804,288 Rainbow Derby at Ruidoso Downs in July.

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Hes Judgeandjury has not started in a stakes since a third in the Two Million Futurity last December. He finished third in a division of the Super Derby trials behind Apocalipsis V, beaten a length.

Apocalipsis V won for the first time in his career in his 11th start in the Super Derby time trials, his first start for Taylor. In the trials, the gelding finished a head in front of Party Politics, winner of the Golden State Million and Ed Burke Million futurities last year and the Golden State Derby in August.

Trained by Juan Aleman, Party Politics has been favored in his last eight starts and will be well supported again Sunday. He drew a favorable position in post 9, with Jeriko, Apocalipsis V, and Hes Judgeandjury to his inside in posts 6 through 8.

Sicario V, who starts from the rail, won a division of the Super Derby trials for his sixth win in seven starts this year. Sicario V’s only loss this year was a ninth-place finish in the $1.19 million All American Derby on Sept. 3 at Ruidoso Downs, in which he broke slowly and was beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Whiskey Creek.

At the time, Sicario V was trained by Santos Carrizales Jr., who does not have a stable in California.

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