Party Politics outruns favorites in Ed Burke Million Futurity

CYPRESS, Calif. - Party Politics could only manage a second-place finish in a division of the Ed Burke Million Futurity trials on May 29, but the experience gained in that race propelled the well-regarded gelding to a half-length win in Sunday’s $1 million final at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by Ramon Sanchez, Party Politics ($23.20) overcame a slight bump at the start to take the lead in the first 100 yards of the 350-yard race. Party Politics finished in 17.61 seconds, much quicker than his time of 17.79 seconds in the trials.

Aint He Tempting, the 9-5 favorite and fastest qualifier from the trials, finished second, three-quarters of a length in front of 2-1 Quirky Bitty Jess in a field of nine. The longshot Escalated was scratched by trainer Mike Casselman earlier on Sunday.

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Party Politics, purchased for $100,000 at the Ruidoso yearling sale last September, races for trainer Juan Aleman and is owned by his JGA Racing Stable, which comprises of members of his family and a few friends, he said.

Party Politics, by Apollitical Jess, won his debut in a maiden special weight race at 220 yards on May 8 and was beaten a half-length as the 9-10 favorite in a division of the Burke trials by Frivolous, who finished a troubled sixth in the final. Party Politics had the eight-fastest qualifying time for the Burke.

Aleman said that Party Politics will be rested for a fall campaign geared toward two seven-figure futurities at Los Alamitos – the Golden State Million in October and the Los Alamitos Two Million in December.