Walk Thru Crystal has tough task in Ed Burke Million Futurity

Walk Thru Crystal was the dominant 2-year-old Quarter Horse at Los Alamitos through the spring. On Sunday, the first day of summer, she will try to win her second futurity of the young season in the $1,030,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity.

Unbeaten in four starts, Walk Thru Crystal will face her toughest test in the 350-yard race.

On June 7, Walk Thru Crystal set the third-fastest qualifying time of 17.70 seconds for 350 yards, winning a division of the time trials by a length.

Owned by Enrique Gonzalez and trained by Yanet Rodriguez, Walk Thru Crystal has earned $131,720. Alejandro Luna, Rodriguez’s boyfriend, will ride Walk Thru Crystal, one of three fillies in the final.

The Ed Burke Million Futurity is the first of three seven-figure futurities at Los Alamitos this year followed by the Golden State Million Futurity in November and the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity in December. A bonus of $1 million will be paid if a horse sweeps the three races. No horse has won the bonus since it was introduced in 1988.

Two of Walk Thru Crystal’s leading rivals are the fastest qualifiers – Docs Best Card, who was timed in 17.63 seconds in the trials, and Walk Thru Corona, with a trial win in 17.65 seconds.

Docs Best Card was second in the Kindergarten, losing by a half-length to Walk Thru Crystal after breaking toward the inside. Docs Best Card gave a career-best performance in the Ed Burke trails, winning by 1 1/4 lengths.

Jaime Gomez owns and trains Docs Best Card, who is by Corona Cartel. Gomez describes the colt as “easy going” and easy to care for at the barn.

“He sleeps all day,” Gomez said on trial night. “For still being a colt, his temperament is so nice and calm. He doesn’t waste any energy. He saves it all for running.”

Gomez has three finalists, including trial race winner Rolll Tide and Thru the Night, who was second in a time trial to Jess Flying By. Jess Flying By died on June 14 from an illness contracted after the trials, Los Alamitos officials said.

Walk Thru Corona drew the outside post in a field of nine. He is one of three finalists unbeaten in two starts, along with Budder Think Twice and Toughie. Each won a maiden race in April or May before winning a division of the Burke trials.