LOS ALAMITOS, CA--FEBRUARY 25, 2018--Graded stakes finalists Apollitical Stone and Seems Even Better will headline a highly competitive group of sophomores in the $15,000 Oatman Handicap at 400 yards on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

The Oatman will be the eighth and final race on the card with first post set for approximately 6 p.m.

Jose Flores and Steve Mickaelian's Apollitical Stone looks like the key horse in the Oatman. The richest horse in the field with nearly $99,868 in earnings, the Apollitical Jess gelding was fourth in the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity behind KVN Corona and J Fire Up and Chance To Fire, who were the three PCQHRA divisional champions in the 2-year-old division last year.

Apollitical Stone then qualified with a daylight win to the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity final, but after a slow start was seventh in the final behind the unbeaten superstar KVN Corona.

Apollitical Stone's sophomore debut was an out of the money finish in trial to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby on January 20. Apollitical Stone has shown class in the past, but will need a return to his 2017 form to shine in the Oatman on Sunday.

Scott Willoughby trains the duo of Grade 3 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity finalist Seems Even Better, a gelding by Kiddy Up, and recent maiden winner Time To Leave, a Walk Thru Fire filly, for Ed Allred, who bred the Grade 1 winning gelding Oatman.

Seems Even Better enters in top form after posting a solid allowance win on January 27.

Corona Thru Fire, winner in his last two starts, and Wild West Futurity finalist Favorite Fire Boy will also race.

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The running of the Oatman Handicap honors Fawna Knight and Ron Skeen's 2011 Los Alamitos Winter Derby winner. Bred by Ed Allred, Oatman won the $215,600 Winter Derby by 1 ½ lengths while posting a stakes record time at 400 yards of :19.167 over a wet fast track.

A son of Walk Thru Fire and out of the Raise A Secret mare Kingman King, Oatman was purchased at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale in 2009. He was one of the nation's top sophomores in 2011 and at one point was the number two ranked Quarter Horse in the AQHA Racing top 10 poll in 2011.

Oatman was also a finalist in the 2010 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity, where he finished a game sixth in the final, Oatman earned $192,737 during his racing career.

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.