Los Alamitos: Blackberry Czech fastest qualifier to Kindergarten Futurity

The bloodlines of the Quarter Horse Blackberry Czech gave owner-breeder Salvador Pimienta and trainer Felix Gonzalez the confidence to try the filly in the time trials for the Kindergarten Futurity at Los Alamitos last Sunday.

The reward is the role of fastest qualifier for Blackberry Czech to the $268,200 Kindergarten on May 20, one of seven fillies to qualify for the 10-horse final.

Blackberry Czech ran 300 yards in 15.439 seconds in a division of the time trials, winning for the first time in her second career start. The distance was an ideal fit for the Arizona-bred filly, who is by Corona Czech out of Ra Noble.

“I still think Ra Noble is one of the quickest horses out of the gate that I’ve ever trained,” Gonzalez said after the trial. “That’s the reason why Blackberry Czech was paid into these trials.”

Ra Noble was a stakes winner in 1999 at Los Alamitos, and earned $39,548 in her 16-race career.

Blackberry Czech was second to Tres Racer in a maiden race on April 15, and the winner of that race is among six other fillies to qualify for the Kindergarten. The Cartel Straw and Jess Another Czech were two other fillies who won divisions of the trials and earned berths in the final.

The horses with the 10 fastest times, regardless of finishing positions, advanced to the final, the first major stakes of the year for 2-year-olds at Los Alamitos. The other qualifiers are the fillies Mama Mia Bella, Revv Me Up, and Super Long Straw, as well as the males Mr Ease Cartel, Sugarbear Sax Man and To Catch This Wagon.

To Catch This Wagon had the 10th-fastest qualifying time of 15.535 seconds.

The final will feature full sisters in The Cartel Straw, who may go favored, and Super Long Straw. They are by Corona Cartel out of The Long Straw, and were bred by Oscar Montemayor. Because Quarter Horse mares can be bred via embryo transfer, The Long Straw had multiple foals in 2010.

Trainer Jose Antonio Flores has three runners in the final – Mr Ease Cartel, Sugarbear Sax Man and Super Long Straw.

Mr Ease Cartel was second to Tres Racer in the ninth race, the eighth and final division of the trials. The other eight qualifiers ran in the second through fifth races.