Checkn Cartel is one of nine talented athlete who will headline in the $35,000 La Pacifica Handicap on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

© Amber Mendez/Los Alamitos

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–MAY 1, 2024–Checkn Cartel, In The Mode and Market Analyst, three talented sprinters who were part of the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Oaks, will now headline a strong group of nine sophomore fillies in the running of the $35,000 La Pacifica Handicap at 350 yards on Saturday night at Los Alamitos. 

On Kentucky Derby Day, Los Alamitos will open all gates at 7 a.m. Grandstand admission is $3 while Vessels Club and Burgart’s admission is $10. Los Alamitos offers free general parking. For Vessels Club reservations, please call 714-820-2681. Indoor and outdoor patio seating is available.                                               

Owned by J. Francisco Diaz, Checkn Cartel has been among the best fillies in California since starting her racing career in May of last year. In her 10 career starts, Checkn Cartel has won a trio of races while running fourth in the prestigious Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.

The Lindolfo Diaz-trainee ran second in her trial to the $404,000 Oaks before finishing sixth in the March 23 final. Starting from the rail, the Favorite Cartel brushed with her outside rival and could never pose a threat to eventual winner Asscher. Checkn Cartel will now start from post number six with Jesus Rios Ayala getting the call.                                                                                   

Ed Allred’s In the Mode finished a solid fourth in the Oaks after running third in her trial to the meet’s marquee race for fillies. In The Mode, who posted an allowance victory two outings ago, seems to be blossoming during her sophomore campaign and will look to continue her good form when she races from the rail with Gabriel Lara up for trainer Scott Willoughby.                              

Steve Burns’ Market Analyst won a pair of races during the early part of her freshman campaign. She did not race the rest of the year after winning her Ed Burke Million Futurity trial but returned for her sophomore campaign with a good third on the night of the Oaks trials. After running seventh in the final, Market Analyst should be nearing a return to her peak in time for the La Pacifica. Mike Casselman will saddle the Favorite Cartel filly, who’ll be ridden by Cruz Mendez from post four.

The rest of the field will include CD Horses Inc’s Angel Soul, a finalist to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby and third place finisher in the $50,000 Los Alamitos Juvenile Invitational. She’ll enter this race after a flashy allowance victory on April 7 for trainer Jaime Gomez.

The field from the rail out is as follows:

1. In The Mode
2. Trending Right
3. Budderhomesngarden
4. Market Analyst
5. Pacifica
6. Checkn Cartel
7. Keep Going
8. Ecstatik
9. Angel Soul

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For more info' please contact larace@losalamitos.com. Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @losalracing or visit us online at www.losalamitos.com.