Los Alamitos: Kool Million overcomes stumble to win Maiden Stakes

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. – Kool Million, who made his career debut Dec. 30, overcame a stumble at the start to win Sunday’s $151,750 Los Alamitos Maiden Stakes, the richest running of the unique race for 3-year-old Quarter Horses.

The 350-yard Maiden Stakes is restricted to horses who were nonwinners as of Dec. 1, 2011.

Owned and bred by Los Alamitos chairman Dr. Ed Allred, Kool Million won his debut and then finished second in a division of the Maiden Stakes trials on Feb. 4. Sent off at 6-1 in Sunday’s final, Kool Million was third in the first half of the race and closed well to win by a neck over 29-1 One Famous Ferragamo. Jennifers Challenge finished third, with even-money favorite New Look only seventh in a field of 10 after a slow start.

Kool Million ($14) was timed in 17.64 seconds. The gelding was ridden by Cruz Mendez for trainer Jose Antonio Flores. Kool Million will be pointed to major derbys in the second half of 2012, Flores said.