The unbeaten KVN Corona favored in El Primero Del Ano Derby

KVN Corona, the champion 2-year-old Quarter Horse colt of 2017, will be a strong favorite to extend his unbeaten record in Saturday’s $235,200 El Primero Del Ano Derby at Los Alamitos on Saturday.

KVN Corona set the second-fastest qualifying time with a nose win in a division of the 400-yard time trials on March 11. The trial race was KVN Corona’s first start since a win in a division of the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity trials last November. KVN Corona did not run fast enough in those trials to gain a berth in the final.

Earlier in 2017, KVN Corona won the Ed Burke Million and Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Breeders’ futurities. Owned by breeder Keith Nellesen and trained by Paul Jones, KVN Corona has won seven races and earned $580,750.

KVN Corona was named in honor of New England Patriot player Kyle Van Noy, who is expected to attend Saturday’s race, Nellesen said on the night of the time trials.

In the March 11 trials, KVN Corona was ridden for the first time by Jesus Rios Ayala, a replacement for Ramon Sanchez. Earlier this year, Sanchez was summarily suspended for conduct detrimental to horse racing. After a recent hearing, Sanchez was suspended for 60 days from March 17 through May 15 for cocaine possession, according to a ruling published by track stewards.

KVN Corona is part of a field of 10 that includes fastest qualifier Yanque and The Revenant. Yanque, second in the Los Alamitos Winter Derby in February, was timed in 19.701 seconds in the time trials, winning by 1 1/4 lengths. KVN Corona won his division of the trials in 19.707 seconds.

KVN Corona edged Ditto Head, who is part of Saturday’s field.

Yanque races for Martha Wells and was recently transferred from trainer Matt Fales to Rafael Orozco. Fales is serving a 30-day suspension through April 10 after one of his starters at Los Alamitos last October tested positive for the stimulant levamisole. Fales was also fined $1,500.

The Revenant won a division of the trials in 19.80 seconds. Trained by John Cooper for Ron Hartley, The Revenant ran in three futurities last year, finishing third in the Governor’s Cup in July, third by a head in the PCQHRA Breeders’ in October, and sixth in the Golden State Million in November.