LOS ALAMITOS, CA—APRIL 21, 2018—Scott Willoughby did not hesitate when asked earlier this week about the top 2-year-olds in his barn.

"Right now, I really like Pull The Trigger as the top male and Alpha Female as the top filly," he said.

Willoughby’s top juveniles in each division did not waste any time proving him right, as they each posted strong victories in their respective debuts on Saturday night.

Owned by Ed Allred, Alpha Female was the first to shine, as she recovered from a slight mistake leaving the gate to pull away in the final 100 yards to win the fourth race by ¾ lengths. The Steve Burns-bred filly covered the 300-yard distance in :15.843 with Eulices Gomez in the irons. Allred purchased the Favorite Cartel filly for $50,000 at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale last year.

"I was concerned when I saw her hop out of the gate," Willoughby said. "But she got going right away and finished well. I believe distance is going to be her friend."

Alpha Female’s dam is Miss Kittys Bar Bet, a multiple graded stakes placed runner and winner of $261,981. During her 2-year-old campaign in 2007, Miss Kittys Bar Bet finished third in the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity and Grade 1 Kindergarten Futurity. She also qualified to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.

Miss Kittys Bar Bet would only race four more times after her freshman year, wrapping up her racing career with a second place finish to Terrific Energy in the Grade 1 Charger Bar Handicap in 2009. As a broodmare, Miss Kittys Bar Bet has produced Governor’s Cup Futurity runner-up No Arizona and Dixie Downs Derby runner-up Favorite Bet. She’s also the dam of La Primera Del Ano Derby finalist Jess Pretending.

In the sixth race, Allred’s homebred Pull The Trigger bumped at the start before flying in between foes to score a ¾ length victory with Gomez aboard. The Stel Corona gelding covered the 300 yards in :15.806.

"He showed a lot of heart today when he ran through those horses," Willoughby said. "They had him squashed pretty bad. He had his legs out from under him so he did a lot for him today."

Pull The Trigger’s dam is What Fire, a finalist to the La Primera Del Ano Derby and Governor’s Cup Derby in 2010. Pull The Trigger’s granddam is AB What A Runner, the champion 2-year-old in 2002 and champion 3-year-old filly in 2003. AB What A Runner won the Grade 1 All American Futurity, Grade 1 Los Alamitos Derby, and Grade 1 Charger Bar Handicap during her outstanding career.

"We’re very excited about both of these horses," Willoughby added. "They both look like the will run down the racetrack really well. Neither one got away very well tonight. They have a lot of room to improve. It looks like we have two pretty nice babies on our hands."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.