Invasive, ridden by Edwin Escobedo, wins the Adequan California Derby Challenge on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

© Los Alamitos

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–MAY 18, 2025–The AQHA Racing Challenge Championships have been good to Marc Jungers over the past two years. The trainer, who enjoyed the best year of his career in 2024, had one of his biggest wins with Shakers No Secret in the Grade 1 AQHA Racing Challenge Championship Stakes at The Downs at Albuquerque last October.

Jungers is having success once again in the Challenge Championships after saddling Tungsten Racing Partnership, Pavon Racing, LLC, Empire Racing, and Heysol Howlet’s Invasive to victory in the $44,880 Adequan California Derby Challenge on Sunday. Invasive’s victory came just a day after Jungers trained Jessesflyincowgirl to victory in the Adequan Sam Houston Derby Challenge on Saturday.

Following his banner 2024 campaign, Jungers is having a strong 2025. In addition to Invasive, his trainee Train B Taka won the Dillingham Handicap last weekend here while also finishing in the top three in two graded derbies at Los Alamitos.

The winning connections of Invasive accept the Adequan California Derby Challenge trophy at Los Alamitos on Sunday. © Los Alamitos

On Sunday night, Invasive took control from the rail shortly after the start of the Adequan California. A half-brother to champion Quirky, the Favorite Cartel gelding had a ½ length lead at the midway point and then held off the late charge of the Jose Flores-trained Steel Blue Cartel to win the 400-yard race.

With Edwin Escobedo up, Invasive posted his second career victory in 11 starts, however, the Steve Burns-bred runner has also finished in the top three in eight of those outings.  Invasive earned $21,991 for the score, take his career earnings to $61,591. The win at 400 yards also snapped a streak of three consecutive runner-up finishes for Invasive here this year, all three of those seconds coming at 350 yards. He covered this distance in :19.815.

“It made a big difference,” Jungers said about the added distance.  “He left sharp. We were hoping that he could get the clean break that he got. It was a good race, and 400 yards made a big difference. We’ve been knocking on the door, and glad we got this win.”

Jungers can now book his reservation at Albuquerque following his winning double in the Adequan races.

“We get to go back and we are excited,” he added. “Edwin has done a great job. He’s fit this colt and he’s come out and rode him. He missed one mount because of scheduling issues. Between him riding Invasive and Train B Taka, it’s been a blessing. He fits both horses.”

Of course, Jungers and Escobedo also teamed up to win the meet’s richest race in 2024, the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity with Lethal Cowboy 123. The gelding will be making his 2025 debut very soon in derby trials at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico.

“We’re excited,” Jungers added.

Owned by Brad Hart, Santos Montemayor, Omar Torres, and Mark and Marta Winslow, Steel Blue Cartel earned $9,425 for running second with Cruz Mendez up. In addition to this solid second-place finish, Steel Blue Cartel has two wins at Los Alamitos, including an allowance on May 4.

Travis and Wendy Sexton’s Midnight Mood earned $4,712 for running third, while Kaye Russell’s Apollitical Bet, who won the John Deere California Juvenile last year, ran fourth. CM Cowgirls Are Cool, Holmybeeranwatchthis, and Prey N Cartel completed the field.

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