Recently sold Apollitical Patty big favorite in first trial for Los Alamitos Oaks

Apollitical Patty, winner of the $1.9 million Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity in December, earlier this year was sold in a private deal by the family of the late Jim Walker to prominent Texas owner Julianna Hawn Holt.

Apollitical Patty stayed with trainer Monty Arossa. Saturday at Los Alamitos, Apollitical Patty will be a heavy favorite in her 2021 debut in the first of three divisions of time trials for the Los Alamitos Oaks at 400 yards for 3-year-old fillies.

The runners with the 10 fastest times in the trials, regardless of finishing positions, will advance to the $427,500 final on March 27.

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Apollitical Patty has won 6 of 8 starts and earned $894,192, by far the highest earnings of the 23 fillies in the three trials. Her only losses were a second in the California Juvenile Challenge in August, when she was found to be ill Arrossa later said, and a sixth-place finish in the Golden State Million Futurity on Nov. 1 after displaying erratic behavior in the starting gate.

In the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity, Apollitical Patty won the 400-yard race by a half-length over Flash Bak, who returned to win the $204,000 Los Alamitos Winter Derby on Feb. 13.

Saturday’s other two trials also have leading fillies of 2020. Terrific Temper, second in the Ed Burke Million Futurity last June, will have her second start of 2021. Terrific Temper won a division of the Los Alamitos Winter Derby trials on Jan. 23, but did not have a time quick enough to gain a spot in the final.

Terrific Temper’s leading rival is Up for You, who drew the rail in a field of seven. Up for You was second by a nose in the $101,300 Los Alamitos Maiden Stakes at 350 yards on Feb. 21.

Up for You closed with such interest that trainer Scott Willoughby’s thoughts turned to the Los Alamitos Oaks trials as soon as the filly was unsaddled that evening.

The final division is led by Aint She Tempting, who won the Oklahoma Futurity at Remington Park last May when trained by Arrossa. Aint She Tempting was briefly trained by John Cooper last fall at Los Alamitos, but has since rejoined Arrossa’s stable. For Cooper, Aint She Tempting was second in the Golden State Million and seventh in the Los Alamitos Two Million futurities.

Holt, who along with her husband Peter own the San Antonio Spurs, bought Aint She Tempting before the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.