Shaken Goin On eyes fourth local stakes win of year in Southern California Derby
Shaken Goin On is a half-length away from a perfect season at Los Alamitos this year, a record that will leave her the favorite in Sunday’s $175,000 Southern California Derby at 400 yards.
Shaken Goin On, trained by Eddie Willis for James Sills and Abel Flores, set the fastest qualifying time for Sunday’s race by winning the first of two time trials in 19.74 seconds on Nov. 30.
The trial win was Shaken Goin On’s fifth in six starts at Los Alamitos this year. She won the track’s richest race for 3-year-old fillies – the $430,000 Los Alamitos Oaks in March – and two other stakes prior to the recent trial race win. Shaken Goin On’s only loss at Los Alamitos this year was a third-place finish by a half-length against older fillies and mares in the Mildred Vessels Handicap at 400 yards in September.
A win on Sunday would make Shaken Goin On the only four-time stakes winner at the track’s year-long meeting. The Southern California Derby is the last major race of the year.
In her time trial, Shaken Goin On finished three-quarters of a length in front of Favorite Jesshawk, who rates as an appealing contender on Sunday. Favorite Jesshawk, trained by Jesus Nunez, won the $197,300 Golden State Derby in August, the track’s leading summer race for 3-year-olds.
The Southern California Derby typically does not draw the track’s best 3-year-olds. Norco, winner of the $894,200 Los Alamitos Super Derby in November, finished fourth in the $700,000 Champion of Champions against older horses on Dec. 13.
Shaken Goin On, who will be ridden by regular rider Justine Klaiber, drew post 5 in a field of 10. She won the quicker of the two trial races. Show N Tell Cartel, winner of the El Primero Del Ano Derby for colts and geldings in March, won the second division in 20.04 seconds.
Trained by Elena Andrade, Show N Tell Cartel was seventh by 1 1/2 lengths in the Super Derby. In his trial win, Show N Tell Cartel finished a head in front of Ohana Spirit, who will be an outsider on Sunday. There could be support for Train B Taka, who was third by a neck behind Show N Tell Cartel.
Train B Taka, trained by Marc Jungers, has not met expectations this year, even though he has won 4 of 9 starts, including two minor stakes. Train B Taka was second in the $175,350 Los Alamitos Winter Derby and third by a head in the El Primero Del Ano Derby.
Train B Taka has lost his last three starts, time trials for the Golden State Derby, Super Derby, and Southern California Derby.
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