Terrific Temper tops PCQHRA Breeders' Futurity trials

Terrific Temper finished second by three-quarters of a length to Chance to Excel in the $1.15 million Ed Burke Million Futurity at Los Alamitos on June 21, the closest any runner came to Chance to Excel during that gelding’s three-race winning streak in the spring and early summer.

Chance to Excel is sidelined until 2021 with injury, while Terrific Temper continues his 2-year-old campaign on Sunday in the sixth of seven time trials for the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Breeders’ Futurity at Los Alamitos.

Terrific Temper has not had an ideal preparation for his fall campaign.

Trained by Chris O’Dell, Terrific Temper followed his loss in the Ed Burke with a start in a maiden race at 350 yards at odds of 1-10 on Aug. 10. Terrific Temper won by 1 1/4 lengths, but was disqualified and placed fourth for causing interference to fourth-place finisher Spoil Me.

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The PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity trials are the third through ninth races on a program that begins at 6 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

There are no major stakes winners among the 56 horses entered in the 350-yard trials. The runners with the 10 fastest final times, regardless of finishing positions, will advance to the final on Oct. 3.

Most of the trials have runners with experience in futurities. Squid Word, second by a nose in the Governor’s Cup Futurity on July 25, starts in the fourth race against Thats R Best Card, who was fifth in the Ed Burke.

Unstoppable One, third in the Kindergarten Futurity on May 17, and Opt Out, third in the Governor’s Cup Futurity, are the leading runners in the fifth race.

The undefeated gelding Counting the Ways starts from the rail in the sixth race. Trained by Jose Flores, Counting the Ways won his debut in a 300-yard maiden race on July 24 and his stakes debut in the Pat Hyland Handicap at 350 yards on Aug. 23.

Counting the Ways’ competition includes two runners from the Northwest – No Hesitation, who won the Utah-Bred Futurity at Wyoming Downs on July 25, and Relentless Six, who was second in the Firecracker Futurity at Grants Pass in Oregon on July 6.

Terrific Temper will be a heavy favorite in the eighth race. His main rival is Monopolist, who was second in the California Freshman Stakes at 350 yards on July 25.