LOS ALAMITOS, CA—MAY 17, 2013—A field of nine talented 2-year-olds will compete in the $281,100 Kindergarten Futurity, the first major race for 2-year-olds at Los Alamitos in 2013.

Leading the way is fastest qualifier She Forgives, who races for Dutch Masters III. Undefeated in two career starts, the Foose filly out of the stakes winning mare Forgive Him won her Kindergarten trial in a blazing :15.37 at 300 yards. She'll leave the gate from post number three in the Kindergarten.

"Dr. Streelman sent me to pick out some horses on the day of the (Los Alamitos Equine Sale," said trainer Jaime Gomez. "I really like the first babies out of a mare and She Forgives is the first baby out of (Forgive Him) that made $200,000. I liked her body and her style. She was nice all of the time at the ranch. She wanted to be in front all the time. She was really smart and never gave trouble. She worked out of the gates easy and she galloped beautifully. Her stride was down, low and long all of the time. She's a calm filly. She's a good minded filly."

She Forgives won her racing debut by a half length from post number two and her Kindergarten trial by a length from post number one. To be ridden by Rodrigo Aceves, She Forgives will start from post number three.

Dutch Masters III has won the Kindergarten four times, tying the racing operation with AQHA Hall of Fame owner and breeder Ivan Ashment for the stakes record. Gomez is tied with Hall of Fame trainer and breeder Blane Schvaneveldt for the most wins ever in the Kindergarten with seven. Gomez saddled Secret Card, Sassy Smith, Gold Nugget Rd and Twin Spires to victory in the Kindergarten for Dutch Masters III.

In addition to She Forgives, Dutch Masters III will also be represented in this race by Docs First Fire, a Walk Thru Fire gelding co-owned by the trainer.

"Docs First Fire is a small colt, but he is long," Gomez added. "He has always been small, but he runs pretty good all of the time. He was behind in his first start, but he made a heck of a move to finish second. In (the morning workouts) he would go with She Forgives. She would beat him, but he kept up with her."

Eduardo Nicasio will pilot the gelding from post number four. He enters this race after racing in a very productive Kindergarten trial that featured four qualifiers.

Gomez will also saddle Shake Djibouti for owner Bobby Cox in the Kindergarten. To be ridden by Gregorio Arriaga, she'll start from post number six.

"Shake Djibouti is a half sister to Jumpn Shake, who is a good smart, nice horse and a winner of $149,000," Gomez added. "In her first start, horses broke in front of her, but in the Kindergarten trial she broke on top and opened up. She can be a factor in the futurity." She is sired by Tr Dasher.

Jose Flores is a two-time Kindergarten winning trainer. He will look to become a winning owner of the Kindergarten with the unbeaten second fastest qualifier Glitter In My Face. The Special Cartel filly scored a half-length victory in her career debut and then posted a ¾ length victory in her Kindergarten trial against a field that included Kindergarten finalists Shaded Secrets and Last Chancer.

Janet McKinnerney’s Duke Of Carter, by Carters Cartel, won his trial, which produced nearly half of the field to this year’s Kindergarten. In addition to Duke Of Carter, this trial also featured finalists Balgo Racing Team, Inc. and Marlyn Gonzalez’s Hot Capuccino, Paul Jones and Thompson Racing, Inc’s Foose Is Loose and the aforementioned Docs First Fire.

“Duke Of Carter comes from a nice family of horses,” said Flores. “He prevailed (in the trials) from the number one post and he did extremely well. Glitter In My Face has posted a couple of nice wins. She’s out of a mare bred by Dr. Allred and his mares always have great bloodlines.”

While Gomez has three runners in the Kindergarten and Flores has two, trainer Paul Jones will also send out a pair of contenders to the 300-yard futurity. In addition to Foose Is Loose, who ran second to Duke Of Carter, Jones will saddle Jeffrey and Kim Pitcher’s homebred Shaded Secrets, who finished right behind second fastest qualifier Glitter In My Face. The No Secrets Here filly faced fastest qualifier She Forgives in their racing debut back on April 12. Cesar De Alba will ride from post eight. Foose Is Loose, also by Foose, will be ridden by Ramon Sanchez.

Trainer Guillermo Morales and Denny Ekins will each saddle one sprinter in the Kindergarten. Morales will send out the Walk Thru Fire filly from post number one with Santiago Mendez aboard. Hot Capuccino has experience racing from along the rail, as she was second in her racing debut from that spot while posting a very good 300-yard time of :15.47. She broke nicely and eventually finished fourth in her Kindergarten trial from post number two.

Bad Fast, who was second to She Forgives in the trials, will not run back in the Kindergarten final due to a minor injury. Her connections are hopeful that she will compete in the trials to the major futurities later in the year.

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com