Mister Appolitical wins Southern California Derby by landslide

CYPRESS, Calif. - Mister Appolitical ended his autumn campaign unbeaten in four starts after an impressive win in Friday’s $168,700 Southern California Derby at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by Jesus Rios Ayala, Mister Appolitical justified his odds-on status, breaking well before taking a commanding lead. Mister Appolitical was not threatened in the final half of the race and won by 1 1/2 lengths over 14-1 Tac Me Up.

Mister Appolitical ($3.80) ran 400 yards in 19.72 seconds. Tac Me Up finished a nose in front of 8-1 Dexxter in the field of 10. The Southern California Derby was the final major stakes for 3-year-old Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos this year.

Mister Appolitical won the $150,000 Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Breeders’ Derby on Oct. 4. He won time trials for the PCQHRA Breeders’ Derby and Southern California Derby to qualify for those races.

Owned by Legacy Ranch and trained by Terry Knight, Mister Appolitical was rested last winter after a fourth-place finish in the Los Alamitos Winter Derby in February and returned to training in the summer.

Knight said Mister Appolitical will be rested this winter and pointed for a summer and fall campaign in 2020. A gelding by Appolitical Jess, Mister Appolitical has won 8 of 13 starts and earned $290,580.