Los Alamitos: Separate Fire earns spot in Golden State Million

Separate Fire, winner of the Ed Burke Million Futurity at Los Alamitos in June, is among 10 qualifiers for the $1.2 million Golden State Million Futurity on Oct. 30 after time trials Sunday.

For the second time this year, the filly will go into a final as the favorite, but without the fast qualifying time.

Ridden by Ramon Sanchez, Separate Fire won her division of the 400-yard trials Sunday in 19.90 seconds, the ninth-fastest of the 10 qualifying times. Back in June, Separate Fire was the ninth-fastest qualifier for the Burke after finishing a troubled third in a division of the trials.

Because of her win in the Ed Burke, Separate Fire is eligible for a $1 million bonus if she wins the Golden State Million and the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity on Dec. 11. The three-race series has not been swept since the bonus was inaugurated in 1998.

Getting Separate Fire qualified for the Golden State Million in her first start since June was the priority last weekend.

“She was coming back to race after a long layoff, and you never know how a horse will come back after time off,” trainer Paul Jones said.

Owned by Jose Trevino’s Tremor Enterprises, Separate First has won 5 of 6 starts and $607,288.

The field for the Golden State Million was not finalized until Tuesday morning in the racing office at Los Alamitos. In the trials, Igotyourtac and Unobeter were both timed in 19.916, tying for the 10th and final qualifying time. A random shake Tuesday determined that Igotyourtac advances to the final.

The fastest qualifier was Last to Fire, winner of the fifth of 10 trials in 19.70. Trained by Juan Aleman, Last to Fire was a maiden after three races going into the trials and won by a nose over Jess Lips, the second-fastest qualifier. Unobeter was third in that division, but ultimately unlucky.

The other qualifiers are Terrific Synergy, Long Gone, Fly First Down, First Outburst, Regardless, and Jess Sass Dash.

◗ Miss Racy Jess is the fastest qualifier for the $987,500 Los Alamitos Super Derby on Nov. 6, following time trials last Saturday.

Miss Racy Jess is trained by Trey Wood, the 23-year-old son of New Mexico-based trainer Blane Wood. The trial win was Trey Wood’s first winner at Los Alamitos. Miss Racy Jess, seventh in the 2010 All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs, was timed in 19.64 in the Super Derby time trials.