Los Alamitos: Docs Apollo brings owners back to Golden State Derby winner's circle

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. – Wins in the Golden State Derby at Los Alamitos come along about once every 20 years for the Dutch Masters III partnership of Denny Boer and Jim Streelman.

Holland Ease won the 400-yard race in 1992, a year after the colt finished sixth in the All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs for trainer Bob Baffert.

Last Sunday, Baffert’s good friend Jaime Gomez was the winning trainer when Docs Apollo gave the Dutch Masters partnership a win in the $238,250 Golden State Derby.

“It’s fun to see some fruition again from a lot of hard work,” Streelman said in the winner’s circle.

The Grade 1 Golden State Derby was the first stakes win for Docs Apollo, a gelding by the Throughbred Apollo out of Docs Secret Card. Docs Apollo is a half-sister to Secret Card, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2010 for Dutch Masters.

Until Sunday’s win, by three-quarters of a length over the well-regarded Pushing Dazies, Docs Apollo had not lived up to expectations. The Golden State Derby win was Docs Apollo’s second win in eight starts. He has earned $128,814. Docs Apollo broke from the outside in the Golden State Derby and led throughout. Filthy Fast, the 4-5 favorite, could only finish fourth.

Streelman said that Docs Apollo is eligible for the Los Alamitos Super Derby in November and the Southern California Derby in December. The Super Derby winner receives an automatic berth to the Champion of Champions in December, but the 3-year-old division has more appeal, the owner said.

“I don’t know if we want to take on those horses right now,” he said.

Jess You and I wins allowance

Jess You and I, the millionaire 7-year-old gelding, won an allowance race at Los Alamitos last Sunday and will be pointed for the major stakes of the fall, trainer Paul Jones said.

Owned by Double Bar S Ranch, Jess You and I has started in the last three runnings of the Champion of Champions, winning in 2008, finishing eighth in 2009, and finishing fourth last year. Sunday’s win over 350 yards was the first for Jess You and I since a victory in a division of the Los Alamitos Winter Championship trials on Jan. 19. Jess You and I was later third in the final.

Jess You and I could start in the $100,000 Go Man Go Handicap over 400 yards on Sept. 11, Jones said.