Undefeated KVN Corona drawn well in PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity

The autumn stakes calendar at Los Alamitos has played a pivotal role in race planning for the brilliant 2-year-old KVN Corona, who will start as a heavy favorite in the $400,000 Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Breeders’ Futurity on Saturday evening.

KVN Corona is unbeaten in four starts, including the Ed Burke Million Futurity on June 18. Owned by Keith Nellesen and trained by Paul Jones, KVN Corona is the fastest qualifier for the PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity at 350 yards after winning a division of the time trials on Sept 17 in 17.69 seconds.

KVN Corona is eligible for a $1 million bonus if he can sweep the Ed Burke, Golden State Million, and Los Alamitos Two Million futurities, a feat that has never been accomplished.

Thursday, Jones said it was doubtful KVN Corona would be entered for the Golden State Million trials on Oct. 22 since the final for that race is Nov. 5. The Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity has trials on Nov. 26 and a final on Dec. 17.

All that would be too much for KVN Corona, Jones said. He said a nearly three-week gap between the trials and final of the PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity makes the race more attractive even though the purse is smaller than the $1 million-estimated Golden State Million Futurity.

“We figured we’d run in this because there is 20 days between the trials and finals,” Jones said. “There are only 14 days between the trials and final for the Golden State. It might be better to skip it and go for the Two Million.”

Saturday, KVN Corona starts from the outside post in a field of nine. “He really drew well,” Jones said.

Ramon Sanchez has the mount on KVN Corona, who won a maiden race in April and a division of the Ed Burke Million trials on June 4 in his first two starts.

The Revenant and Apollitical Stone, trial race winners on Sept. 17, are two other notable runners in the PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity. The Revenant, who qualified for Saturday’s race with a time of 17.72 seconds, was third in the Governor’s Cup Futurity on July 29. Apollitical Stone, who had a qualifying time of 17.73 seconds, was fourth in the Ed Burke Million.

The PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity is the richest race at Los Alamitos this weekend. The track’s annual Quarter Horse mixed sale will be held on Saturday and Sunday.

The first major race of the weekend is the $184,000 PCQHRA Breeders’ Derby at 400 yards on Friday evening, one of three stakes on an eight-race program.

Look at Her, who finished in a dead-heat for second in the Golden State Derby in August, and One Proud Eagle, who won the 2016 Kindergarten Futurity, are the most accomplished runners in a field of 10.

Renewed is the fastest qualifier from time trials on Sept. 16, having run 400 yards in 19.78 seconds. Look at Her was second to Renewed in the trials with a time of 19.92 seconds. One Proud Eagle won a division of the trials in 19.92 seconds.

Renewed, trained by Roberto Dominguez, finished fifth in the Governor’s Cup Derby on July 29, but was disqualified and placed ninth for causing interference with about 100 yards remaining.

Trainer Jaime Gomez starts Ld is Back, who was second to Ms Jess Knockout in a division of the time trials, closing well to miss by a nose in 19.84 seconds. Ld is Back was sixth in the PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity in 2016.