LOS ALAMITOS, CA— AUGUST 22, 2015— Trainer Bret Vickery has enjoyed a lot of success over the years in the Bank of America Racing Challenge Series.

The veteran trainer has enjoyed wins in the Grade 1 Bank of America Championship Challenge with Policy Tacs in 1999, Grade 1 Merial Distaff with Sheza Bad Habit in 2011, Grade 2 Adequan Derby with LDS Dash For Dylan in 2005, plus many other regional stakes wins with the likes of Go For Game, Taken All The Cash, Iona Corona and Chickie Cherry Cola.

Vickery’s father, the lifelong horseman Don Vickery, will now look to earn a regional stakes win of his own when he saddles fastest qualifier Daddys Dollars in the $48,600 John Deere Juvenile California Challenge on Saturday at Los Alamitos. Purchased for $8,200 at the 2014 Los Alamitos Equine Sale, Daddys Dollars was impressive in winning her 350-yard trial, as she easily posted the fastest qualifying time while covering the distance in :17.74. The win was her third in four starts with her only blemish coming in the $172,000 Bitterroot Futurity on August 8.

“I just liked the way she looked at the sale,” said Vickery, who campaigns the Carters Cartel filly in partnership with his wife, Karen. “She’s a fun little filly. She loves to race and that’s what makes her special.”

Over the years, Don Vickery has saddled the winners of 58 Quarter Horse races including four stakes races, but his impact in the Intermountain and Northwest region has been greater than the numbers show.

“I’ve trained for more than 35 years,” Don Vickery said. “The time came for me to turn over the barn to Bret and he’s done well. I’ve helped him with the horses, but I wasn’t interested in the headlines or the glory. Bret has worked very hard and he deserves the success he’s enjoyed. My wife and I bought a small business in the state of Washington and that kept us busy for many years. It was a (oil change) business. My wife and I eventually sold it and we both retired. I like to keep a few horses here and there just to give me something to do. That’s how I came to buying Daddys Dollars.”

Daddys Dollars is the first foal out of the mare Better Tobe Separate. Daddys Dollars’ second dam is 1996 La Primera Del Ano Derby winner Better Bet On Me, which also produced Rainbow Derby and Remington Park Championship winner Separate Bet and El Primero Del Ano Derby winner Harley Man. Bred by Vessels Stallion Farm LLC, Daddys Dollars will be ridden by Carlos Huerta from post number four.

Tom Bradbury, Vaughn Cook and Vince Genco’s Much Better Reason enters as the second fastest qualifier and will break right next to Daddys Dollar when he starts from post number three. AQHA Champion Trainer Paul Jones will saddle the gelding by Good Reason SA, who will be ridden by Oscar Peinado. Much Better Reason was second to Daddys Dollars in the trials and previously he was a winner in an allowance race.

Jesus Nava’s Luv On The Run, another graduate of Los Alamitos Equine Sale, posted one of the most impressive wins on trial night. The colt by Favorite Cartel rallied from sixth place to win the race by a head. In his previous start, he was seventh out of the gate but rallied to finish third in the California Breeders Freshman Stakes. He’s clearly the one to watch in the second half of this race.

“This horse really likes the distance and I can’t wait to see him run at 400 yards later in the year,” said trainer Sergio Fiscal.

Listed as Hip #381, Luv On The Run was the last horse in the 2014 Los Alamitos Equine Sale catalog.

“Sergio and I had our eyes on several horses that we liked at the sale,” Nava said. “We bid on some horses, but we didn’t get any of them. Then it was Luv On The Run’s turn. He was the last horse to enter the sale ring and he was also one of the horses that we liked. We were happy to buy him (for $11,000). Sergio has done a great job bringing him along.”

Jose Nicasio will pilot the Mr. or Mrs. Judd Morse-bred Love On The Run from post number seven.

The field from the rail out is as follows: El Compa JV, Tellem Im Sweet, Much Better Reason, Daddys Dollars, Phoebesdynasty, Thrice Wise, Luv On The Run, Swiper B Sonic, Foust, and Mi Viejo. The winner of the John Deere California will move on to the John Deere Juvenile Challenge to be held at Lone Star Park on November 7.

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.