Rocket Seventeen can build on pair of trial wins in Maiden Stakes

The last time Rocket Seventeen appeared in a stakes final he was eliminated from contention a few strides after the start.

In the $2.03 million Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity in December, Rocket Seventeen sustained a severe bump after the start and again 100 yards into the 400-yard race. It was a grim way to end 2021.

On Feb 6, Rocket Seventeen won his 2022 debut in a division of the Los Alamitos Maiden Stakes trials at 350 yards. Trained by Valentin Zamudio, Rocket Seventeen won by two lengths in the solid time of 17.49 seconds. The win gave Rocket Seventeen the role of fastest qualifier for Sunday’s $98,250 final.

The Maiden Stakes is restricted to 3-year-olds who had not won as of Nov. 1. Of the 10 finalists, four are still maidens. El Best Tornado has won three races since Nov. 1, including a trial for the Maiden Stakes.

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Rocket Seventeen won a division of the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity trials in November. The Maiden Stakes will be the colt’s seventh start, and a chance for a third win.

Aside from El Best Tornado, Da Special One and My Game Plan were trial race winners who qualified for the final.

My Game Plan won a maiden special weight race at 300 yards in his fifth start on Jan. 9 and was a two-length winner of a trial race in 17.55 seconds. My Game Plan is trained by Monty Arrossa, who swept the Los Alamitos Winter Derby and Los Alamitos Winter Championship on the weekend of Feb. 19-20.

Da Special One and El Best Tornado are trained by Jaime Gomez.

Da Special One recorded a 24-1 upset in the Maiden Stakes trials, his first win in his fourth start. He was timed in 17.71 seconds.

El Best Tornado was timed in 17.82 seconds in the trials, winning for the third time in his last four starts. He won a maiden race at 300 yards on Nov. 7 and was fifth in a division of the Two Million trials later that month. In his final start of 2021, El Best Tornado won an allowance race at 300 yards.