Preview Racing


Grade 1 Winner Thermonuclear Energy Heads Denim N Diamonds On Saturday
Grade 1 winner Thermonuclear Energy will head a terrific field of mares in the running of the $35,000 Denim N Diamonds Handicap at 350 yards on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

© Scott Martinez
Grade 1 Winner Thermonuclear Energy Heads Denim N Diamonds On Saturday

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—FEBRUARY 14, 2019—Parsons Family Limited Partnership's Thermonuclear Energy, fresh off her victory in the Grade 1 Charger Bar Handicap on January 6, will headline a terrific field of mares in the running of the $35,000 Denim N Diamonds Handicap at 350 yards on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by Eduardo Nicasio for trainer Chris O'Dell, Thermonuclear Energy beat a field that included 2018 AQHA champion aged mare One Sweet Racy and stablemate and multiple stakes winner A Political Lady at 400 yards.

The Denim N Diamonds will offer a strong challenge, as Thermonuclear Energy will need to be sharp out of the gate at this shorter distance while taking on defending winner Strawfinders Jessee and stakes winners Tough To Figure and On Our Way. However, if the Charger Bar winner breaks sharply against the other distaffers, her powerful closing kick makes her the favorite to prevail in her return outing.

In her career, the 6-year-old daughter of Walk Thru Fire and Terrific Energy has won 10 of 26 starts and earned $382,882. The homebred mare won the Las Damas Handicap in 2017 and picked up a pair of stakes victories last year, first in the Ivan Ashment Handicap and then in the California Breeders Matron Stakes.

"I think what’s helped her a lot is that we’ve bred her a couple of times," O’Dell said. "She’s gained weight (as a result) and has done well. We’re going to run her in the Denim N Diamonds Handicap and then breed her again. If she wins the Denim N Diamonds you almost can’t quit with her. We’ll have to come back and keep running her this year."

Owned and bred by C.K. and Laurel Allen, Strawfinders Jessee won this race by a length last year. The 6-year-old by One Sweet Jess also won the Mini Rock Handicap in early April and was fourth in the Matron Stakes. She has not raced since an eighth place finish in the Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap. The field from the rail out is as follows: Time To Leave, Chickakid, La Rusa, Chowchilla Chickadee, Tough To Figure, Thermonuclear Energy, On Our Way and Strawfinders Jessee.

An allowance race at 300 yards headed by Southern California Derby finalists My Favorite Cartel and Platki and an 870-yard test will complement the 8-race program.

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Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.