Stanley Cartel, under jockey Armando Cervantes, drives to an easy win in the Grade 1 $100,000 Vessels Maturity at Los Alamitos Race Course Sunday night.

© William Zuazo

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–JULY 6, 2025–Weetona Stanley and Dunn Ranch's Stanley Cartel flew from post number four and sailed to victory from there, posting a 1 ¼ length over London Toby and Shakers No Secret to win the Grade 1, $134,700 Vessels Maturity on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

The Stanley-bred runner has been close to Grade 1 glory in the past, but after qualifying to the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity he did not race in the final. He then improved his career record to five wins in as many starts when qualifying to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby, but he never got going after some trouble at the start and ended up finishing eight.

Stanley Cartel began to make amends in the Grade 2 Southern California Derby, as he posted a wire-to-wire victory while taking his record to an impressive seven wins from his first eight starts.

Winning jockey Armando Cervantes and trainer Ramiro Castillo accept the Vessels Maturity Stakes trophy at Los Alamitos Race Course. © William Zuazo

Now trained by Ramiro Castillo and ridden by Armando Cervantes, Stanley Cartel finished second to Kevins Wise Corona in his 2025 debut in the Grade 3 Kaweah Bar Handicap. His connections, however, felt that it was the effort that Stanley Cartel needed to get him ready for the Vessels' Maturity. 

"Last time when he ran (in the Kaweah Bar) he was rusty a little bit and we didn't a good work on him to make him ready for the race," Castillo said. "That kind of made him run a little short. This time we had him set up with a race and he was ready. He changed a lot from that race to this one. We had the time; we put in a lot of time and he's a good horse. He's a kind horse."  

Stanley Cartel in the Los Alamitos saddling paddock prior to his first Grade 1 win. © William Zuazo

Stanley Cartel earned $57,248 for the win to take his career earnings to $217,406. After covering the 400-yard distance in :19.488, the colt by leading sire Pyc Paint Your Wagon has now won eight of 10 career starts. He is out of the multiple graded stakes producing Mr Jess Perry mare First Prize Fancy.

Castillo, 52, was picking up his first Grade 1 victory. He arrived at Los Alamitos in 1992 and went to work for Rodney Hart. He also spent several years working with trainer Dean Frey before working for Monty Arrossa since 2016.

"I was done with school already," Castillo said. "Rodney helped get me my license. I tried to ride but, nah," he added with a smile. "I worked for Dean for a long time."

From assistant to leading man in the barn has brought a lot of responsibilities for Castillo and winning a major race like the Vessels Maturity certainly made a big impression on the trainer.

Trainer Ramiro Castillo congratulates jockey Armando Cervantes following Stanley Cartel's easy victory in the Vessels Maturity. © William Zuazo

"I was really nervous before the race because I knew that there were some tough horses, but it means a lot to me," Castillo said. 

The Vessels Maturity has a presumptive berth to the Grade 1 Champion of Champions to be held on Saturday, December 13 here. 

Ed Allred's London Toby and Abel Lopez, Ethan Lopez and Manny Dutchover's Shakers No Secret finished in a dead-heat for second place. They each won $20,205. Gabriel Lara rode the Allred-bred London Toby for trainer Scott Willoughby, while Christian Ramos piloted Shakers No Secret for trainer Marc Jungers.

Ramos was recently named AQHA champion jockey for 2024, while Jungers was named last year's AQHA champion trainer.

Edberg Verde, Jess Being A Friend, Up For Everything, and Rayenare completed the field. Relentless Eagle, the 2024 AQHA champion 3-year-old gelding, was scratched from the race.

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For more information, please get in touch with larace@losalamitos.com. You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @losalracing or visit us online at www.losalamitos.com.

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