Up to Party faces field of trial winners in Burke Futurity

Up to Party was a bargain purchase as a $12,000 yearling last fall.

She may look even more like a steal if she runs to expectations in Sunday’s $1,010,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity at Los Alamitos. The winner’s share is $407,400.

In a field of 10, Up to Party is the lone filly and has the role of fastest qualifier from 12 time trials on May 26. That evening she zipped 350 yards in 17.58 seconds to remain unbeaten after two starts.

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“She is real business-minded,” trainer Monty Arrossa told Los Alamitos publicity on the night of the trials.

“I love a good filly when they get dialed in. They get tough. She ran a great maiden race here and came back and ran a super trial race.”

Owned by Matt and Bendi Dunn, Up to Party is one of four undefeated runners in the Burke, the first of three seven-figure futurities at Los Alamitos this year. The Golden State Million is Oct. 27 followed by the Los Alamitos Two Million on Dec. 15.

The race has remarkable depth, with eight trial winners, including My Budd, who was second in the $245,200 Kindergarten Futurity on May 12. He won his trial in 17.72 seconds.

Big Hurt, Laredeaux, and Norco are also unbeaten in two starts, having won maiden races in late April or early May before winning a division of the trials.

Laredeaux, a trial race winner in 17.83 seconds, is trained by Arrossa, who has four runners in the final. Arrossa also starts Fear N Fridays, a trial winner in 17.77 seconds, and Ultimate Battle, who was second by a head to Fear N Fridays in the trials.

Norco, a full brother to the stakes winners Circle City and Nomadic, was timed in a quick 17.64 in the trials, winning by 1 3/4 lengths as a 1-5 favorite.

“The horse came back great after the trials,” trainer Scott Willoughby said. “I’m pretty happy with him. The time between races, he’s just getting bigger and stronger.”

Big Hurt won a trial in 17.74 seconds by 1 1/4 lengths at 2-5. He is trained by Jose Flores, who also starts Robs Reason, who was second to Up to Party in the trials.

With so many contenders, a few runners will be overlooked in the betting. Devils Tower, who starts from the outside post, could be such a runner. He was a one-length winner of a trial in 17.69 seconds.

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