Two-time derby winner at Los Alamitos Scoops Dynasty will look for his third major win in the Grade 2, $210,000 Golden State Derby on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

ｩ Scott Martinez

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—AUGUST 12, 2022—Edward and Von Zae McNelis’ Scoops Dynasty, already a multiple stakes winner this season, will look for his third major win of the season when he leads a field of 10 in the Grade 2, $210,000 Golden State Derby on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

Winner of the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby and the Adequan California Derby Challenge, the homebred gelding by FDD Dynasty will enter the 400-yard derby after posting the fastest qualifying time on trial night. The McNelis-bred runner has won all four of his starts in 2022 and a second derby win will place him at the top of his division in Southern California.

"We gave him a bit of a break after the Winter Derby and worked him and he came back running a super good trial race," trainer Monty Arrossa said. "We took him to the track on (Thursday) and took him to the gates and stood him. He stood (nicely) and seems to be happy. He’s real sound and we are hoping we have some luck in there. He’s really matured a lot and has developed. Early on as a 2-year-old, he had quite a bit of speed. He was just immature. We took blinkers off him, and he really liked that. We changed up how we trained him and started ponying him a lot. He really liked that as well. He’s a happy horse. He likes 400 yards, and we think he'll really like 440 yards. The way we’ve changed up his training regimen has really kept him happy."

Scoops Dynasty won his trial easily, cruising to a 1 ¾ length victory in the fastest qualifying time of :19.892. Armando Cervantes will pilot the Idaho-bred from post number five. The talented runner will be going after his sixth career win from 10 starts.

"All three are doing well," Flores said. "Dasha Dynasty really looked good in his trial. I hope it built up his confidence because we’ll face a couple of tough ones, including Scoops Dynasty. I think Dasha Good Reason is just as good as Dasha Dynasty. He just needed an out last time. With that race, I think he’ll be ready for this final. I’m happy with A Famous Ribbon. It had been almost four months since he last ran and needed the race. I think his air will be built up for this final. Hopefully we just have a clean trip."

Trainer Adan Farias will also saddle three horses in the Golden State Derby in David Hinkins’ Unavailable and Mason Jar plus Jesus Avila and Jesus Cuevas’ Set For It.

"All three are pretty good and we’ll try to get an upset," Farias said. "Set For It has always been a solid horse. He likes to win races. He’s had bad luck in the trials in that he gets in the (later) trials towards the end of the night when it’s a little heavier. He likes to win races and he’s come back great after the layoff."

The field will be completed by Lesley Joyner’s Jesstanothercartel, who is a full brother to Grade 1 winner Jesstacartel; Barry Woodhouse's Insider Information, an experienced stakes runner; and Robyn Gordon, Paul Jones, and Roque Gonzalez’s Griffindore, a royally bred runner with potential to upset the field.

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