Proud Movin Renegade gets off the rail for Wild West Futurity

Proud Movin Renegade was beaten for the second time in his six-race career when he finished a nose behind Coronado Kiss in a division of the Wild West Futurity time trials at Los Alamitos on Oct. 4.

Both runners qualified for Sunday’s $99,350 final, but only Proud Movin Renegade was entered. Coronado Kiss, trained by Monty Arrossa, is a glaring absence from the field of 10. Arrossa still has five finalists in the 350-yard race. He did not return a phone call on Friday morning to discuss the status of Coronado Kiss.

Proud Movin Renegade is likely to inherit the role of favorite in the Wild West Futurity, which is restricted to horses who had one start at tracks in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, or in Canada.

In past years, horses needed two starts in those states or in Canada to be eligible, but Los Alamitos relaxed the policy this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Proud Movin Renegade won four consecutive starts at Laurel Brown Racetrack in Utah and Pocatello Downs in Idaho in the spring and summer, including the $95,604 Bitterroot Futurity at Pocatello on July 31, the region’s leading race for 2-year-olds. At the time, Proud Movin Renegade was trained by Riley Moosman.

Proud Movin Renegade had his Los Alamitos debut in the Wild West Futurity trials. Starting from the rail, Proud Moving Renegade bumped with a rival at the start and recovered to just miss beating Coronado Kiss.

“The one hole is not the easiest post at Los Alamitos,” trainer Jose Flores said. “He stumbled a little bit coming out of the gate.

“I think he can run well if he gets a good break. He’s a little high strung, but he’s a good horse.”

Proud Movin Renegade will break from post 6. Jockey Jesus Valenzuela was aboard for the time trial and has the mount for the final.

There were two time trials for the Wild West Futurity on Oct. 4. Proud Movin Renegade was timed in 17.74 seconds. Relentless Six, who won the second division, was timed in 17.99 seconds, winning by 1 1/4 lengths over qualifier Threefamousdiamonds.

Trained by Danny Montes, Relentless Six was second in the Firecracker Futurity at Grants Pass in Oregon on July 6, losing by a nose.