Los Alamitos: Mr Ease Cartel paying big fees to enter rich Quarter Horse races

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. – A significant chunk of the winner’s share of $86,478 earned by Mr Ease Cartel in Sunday’s $205,900 El Primero Del Ano Derby at Los Alamitos will finance getting the colt in other major stakes this year.

Already, the partnership that owns Mr Ease Cartel has paid a $25,000 fee to supplement him to the All American Derby at Ruidoso Downs later this summer. On July 1, the partnership will owe a $30,000 supplemental fee to make Mr Ease Cartel eligible for the $1 million Los Alamitos Super Derby in November.

To gain a place in the El Primero Del Ano Derby trials in March, a supplemental entry fee of $9,200 was paid at entry time.

“He’s worth it, though,” said Mike Abraham, who is part of the partnership that owns Mr Ease Cartel.

Judging from the way Mr Ease Cartel won the 400-yard final, the money could be a wise investment.

Ridden by Cruz Mendez, Mr Ease Cartel ($5) outran Henoshersecret by a nose in 19.67 seconds.

Trained by Jose Antonio Flores, Mr Ease Cartel is unbeaten in three starts this year, including an allowance race in February and a division of the El Primero Del Ano Derby trials.

He was purchased by his current owners – a partnership that includes Abraham, David and Ross Hinkins, and Balgo Racing Team – last fall for $127,000 at the Heritage Place yearling sale in Oklahoma City.

Mr Ease Cartel was seized at Los Alamitos last June by the Department of Justice, which determined that the colt was part of a group of horses owned by members of the Los Zetas Mexican drug cartel.

Mr Ease Cartel was third in the Kindergarten Futurity last May and had qualified for the $1 million Ed Burke Million Futurity at the time he was seized.

“This horse never got a chance at 2,” said Flores, who had the horse in his stable then.

Mr Ease Cartel has won 5 of 7 starts and $135,127. The colt could go to a different trainer this summer, but Flores is hoping to have Mr Ease Cartel in his barn for the Los Alamitos autumn races.

◗ Revv Me Up, who won Saturday’s La Primera Del Ano Derby for 3-year-old fillies, also could be bound for Ruidoso.

Trainer Paul Jones said Revv Me Up has been nominated to the Rainbow Derby and All American Derby there and the Governor’s Cup Derby and Golden State Derby at Los Alamitos.