Tac It Like a Man ripe for a victory

Three finalists in the Grade 1, $1.1 million Ed Burke Million - Tac It Like A Man, The One I Am, and Ten Oclock Scholar - top the trials to the Grade 1, $400,000-estimated Governor's Cup Futurity for California-breds on Friday night at Los Alamitos.

Tac It Like a Man is still a maiden, but that could easily change when he starts from the inside post position in the fourth of nine 350-yard trials. He was third to Ed Burke Million fastest-qualifier Blues Girl Too in their trial and fourth in the Ed Burke Million.

The quick The One I Am did not get her fast start in the Ed Burke, and it resulted in an eighth-place finish. She won her Ed Burke trial by three-quarters of a length.

Ten Oclock Scholar came into the Ed Burke Million on a roll after winning a maiden race by three-quarters of a length and his Ed Burke trial by a neck. That streak ended when a troubled start led to a ninth-place finish in the Ed Burke at 24-1.

Finding Nemo, Wave Carver head derby trials

Two-time Grade 1 winner Finding Nemo and two-time Grade 1 runner-up Wave Carver return from layoffs to head the trials to the $130,000-estimated Governor's Cup Derby at Los Alamitos on Saturday night.

Finding Nemo won five straight races before concluding his juvenile season with a third-place finish at 5-2 in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Million on Dec. 9, his latest start. During his winning streak he won the Grade 1 Governor's Cup Futurity and the Grade 1 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity.

Wave Carver will be making his return after finishing second in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby on Feb. 24. In the Grade 1 Golden State Million, he closed along the rail to finish second to champion Higher Fire. He has 3 wins, including the Los Alamitos Million Juvenile, and 3 seconds in his latest 6 starts.

First Smart Winner fastest in Sires Cup

First Smart Winner, sixth in the Grade 1 Retama Futurity, brings fastest-qualifier status into the Grade 2, $111,640 TQHA Sires' Cup Futurity on Friday night at Sam Houston Race Park.

First Smart Winner raced to a neck trial win in 17.715 seconds to be the fastest qualifier from seven trials held on June 30. Two starts back, he was sixth behind Zoomin for Bux's track-record effort in the Grade 1 Retama Park Futurity.

The second-fastest qualifier, Iam Little Strawfly, also figures in the Sires' Cup Futurity after breaking his maiden and then winning his Sires' Cup trial in 17.759 seconds.

Arealstraitheart back in Zia trials

The All American Futurity runner-up, Arealstraitheart, surfaces after a seven-month layoff to be the class of four 400-yard trials to the $111,800 Zia Derby for New Mexico-breds on Friday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

Arealstraitheart has won each of his five career starts against New Mexico-breds, including the Zia Futurity and the Shue Fly Stakes. In his two other starts, each against open company, he has seconds in his All American Futurity trial and the Grade 1, $1.9 million All American Futurity. The earner of $596,714, he was a neck behind champion Teller Cartel in the All American Futurity.