Valeriano Racing Stables' millionaire colt Trane Station V is the horse to beat in the running of the Grade 1, $1,758,675 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity Sunday night.

© William Zuazo

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–DECEMBER 8, 2023–After posting dominant victories in all three of his California starts, Valeriano Racing Stables' millionaire colt Trane Station V is the horse to beat in the running of the Grade 1, $1,758,675 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity here on Sunday night.

Trane Station V has been outstanding in Southern California since arriving at Los Alamitos. He sizzled to victory while posting the fastest qualifying time in the trials to the Golden State Million Futurity.

After winning the final impressively, the son of a leading sire Favorite Cartel delivered another sparkling performance while winning his trial to the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.

The California-bred broke sharply in his trial and from there increased his lead with each stride. By the time he crossed the wire, the Steve Burns-bred runner out of the stakes winning mare Attack The Cartel was 2 ¼ lengths ahead of his closest pursuer while stopping the clock in a night's best time of :19.766 at 400 yards.

All in all, the photo finish operator has been able to relax in all three of Trane Station V's victories at Los Alamitos, as he won the Golden State Million trial by 2 ¾ lengths and the Golden State final by 1 ¾ lengths.

If Trane Station V goes on to win the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity, he'll be the first horse to ever sweep both the Two Million and Golden State Million while winning both of his trials and also posting the fastest qualifying times to both finals. If he adds a Los Alamitos Two Million victory to his record, he'll be the first to win both of those races while also winning his trial and doing so as the fastest qualifier.

Among the nation's leading earners, Trane Station V will enter the Two Million with a bankroll of $1,015,509. Prior to his Los Alamitos arrival, Trane Station V ran second in both the Grade 1 All American Futurity and the Grade 1 Rainbow Futurity. To be ridden by Francisco Calderon, Trane Station V will start from post number seven.

"I think it's an ideal post for the horse," Taylor said. "The horse has been a tremendous finisher. I think it's a good draw for him with his running style. He just needs to stand up and leave clean and stay out of trouble early. I think the horse will run a big race."

Jorge Carmona's Five Bar Supreme, the winner of the Wild West Futurity here on October 22, posted another superb effort at Los Alamitos in the trials, as he scored his fourth win at the Orange County oval on the way to posting the second fastest time of :19.782. The gelding by Five Bar Cartel led from gate to wire and won by an impressive 1 ½ lengths. In addition to his Wild West win, the Ugo De La Torre-bred runner previously won the Firecracker Futurity at Grants Pass on 4th of July.

Diaz will have two horses in this race, as he also trains fourth fastest qualifier Checkn Cartel. The Favorite Cartel filly, who won her Two Million trial, is owned by Diaz's father, J. Francisco Diaz. The homebred filly has won three of seven starts.

The stallion Apollitical Blood will be represented by Jaime Bryant, Melanie Brooks and Linda Joiner's AB Wow, who shined when winning his trial by ¾ lengths while also posing the sixth fastest time.

The Rancho El Cabresto-bred runner came into this race fresh off a third-place finish to Trane Station V in the Golden State Million final. Can he improve off that effort to wow the racing world. Eddie Willis, who trains AB Wow, will also saddle Reliance Ranches' Unrelentless, who had the fifth fastest time after running second to Checkn Cartel in the fourth trial.

Justine Klaiber qualified both AB Wow and Unrelentless in the trials and has chosen to ride the Flag Ranch LLC-bred Unrelentess in the final. She was aboard Unrelentless when leading him to a second-place finish in the rich Golden State Million final against Trane Station V. Klaiber will look to become the first woman jockey to win the Los Alamitos Two Million final.

Owned by Jose De Jesus Hernandez and trained by Jaime Gomez, Apollitical Open Mrl won his trial by a nose and his winning time of :19.998 was the seventh fastest on the night of trials. The gelding by Apollitical Jess will enter the final with a nice two-race win streak. Oscar Peinado will ride the Haras Portofino-bred runner.

Dunn Ranch's Southern Divine was impressive in her trial, scoring by ¾ lengths on her way to advance to the final for trainer Monty Arrossa. Sired by Pyc Paint Your Wagon, the homebred filly ran second in the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity in her previous start.

Jim Schlagel's Optical Illusion led every step of the way to win his trial by a head with jockey Victor Salazar up for trainer Paul Jones. Bred by Steve Burns, the son of Seperate Interest will be running in his third futurity of the year after qualifying with the ninth fastest time. He previously ran in the Governor's Cup Futurity and PCQHRA Breeders Futurity.

Keith Nellesen's Think Again Kev will also be making his third futurity appearance of the year after winning his trial by a ½ length while completing the list as 10th fastest qualifier. The gelding by KVN Corona ran in the Kindergarten final earlier this year and was also in the Golden State Million final.

Dunn Ranch's third fastest qualifier AB Seis Corazones is on the mend and will not run in the final.

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