Los Alamitos: Nellie Delaney, Scatmandu seek first stakes win in Southern California Derby

Nellie Delaney and Scatmandu have nothing but close finishes for their efforts in rich stakes for 3-year-old Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos this year.

Nellie Delaney was third by a neck in the $125,000 Los Alamitos Maiden Stakes in February. Scatmandu was second by a head in the $901,200 Los Alamitos Super Derby on Nov. 2. Trained by Juan Aleman, Nellie Delaney and Scatmandu have one more chance for a big prize this year in Sunday’s $160,850 Southern California Derby, the final six-figure stakes at Los Alamitos in 2013.

Nellie Delaney races for breeders Nancy Yearsley and J. Garvan Kelly. One of three fillies in Sunday’s field, Nellie Delaney set the fastest qualifying time of 19.70 seconds in 400-yard time trials Dec. 1.

“She showed she is one of the top 3-year-olds the way she won the trial,” Aleman said Thursday. “She’s dangerous when she gets out of the gate.”

Nellie Delaney suffered an injury in the Maiden Stakes. She was a troubled fifth in a division of the Super Derby trials on Oct. 12 in her comeback.

“I really feel she should have been in the Super Derby,” Aleman said. “She had a lot of trouble in that trial.”

Scatmandu won a division of the Southern California Derby trials in 19.83 seconds, setting the fourth-fastest qualifying time. Earlier this year, Scatmandu was eighth in the Rainbow Derby at Ruidoso Downs.

Aleman says that Scatmandu fits at 400 yards but will prefer 440-yard races in 2014.

“He’s doing well now,” Aleman said. “He wants the distance a little more. I think he’ll flourish as a 4-year-old going a quarter-mile. He’s been right there in some of the big races. He just missed out on winning the Super Derby.”

The Southern California Derby drew a strong field of 10, including Scoop of Sunshine, who won the Governor’s Cup Derby in July. Scoop of Sunshine is owned by the List family’s Double Bar S Ranch and is one of four runners in the field trained by Paul Jones.

Jones also starts the longshot Bingo, trial race winner Jabuti Eagle Sa, and Henoshersecret, who was second in the El Primero Del Ano Derby in April and last of 10 after a troubled trip in the Super Derby.

There will be support for Tres Coronas Mas, who was third in the PCQHRA Breeders’ Derby in October for trainer Cody Joiner.