Shaken Goin On, under jockey Justine Klaiber, posted the fastest qualifying time for the Grade Southern California Derby from two trials contested Sunday night at Los Alamitos Race Course.

© Amber Mendez

By Orlando Gutierrez

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–NOVEMBER 30, 2025–Abel Flores and James Sills' brilliant homebred filly Shaken Goin On continued her sophomore campaign at Los Alamitos after posting the fastest qualifying time to the Grade 2 Southern California Derby here on Sunday night.

Already a three-time stakes winner at the Orange County oval this year, Shaken Goin On scored her fifth win in six starts here following a ¾ length win over Grade 1 winner Favorite Jesshawk in the first of two Southern California Derby trials.

With Justine Klaiber up for trainer Eddie Willis, Shaken Goin On covered the 400 yards in :19.744.

Show N Tell Cartel (#1) leads a charge to the finish line in the second trial Sunday night. © Amber Mendez

Shaken Goin On has already won the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Oaks, the Grade 3 Miss Princess Stakes against older mares, and the Justanold Love Stakes on November 8.

A total of 20 sophomores competed in the Southern California Derby trials. Led by Shaken Goin On, the horses with the 10 fastest times will return here for the final on Sunday, December 21.

The daughter of world champion sire Freighttrain B out of Pappasito mare Shaken Pappasito will look to become the meet's first four-time stakes winner.

"I raised her," Willis said. "I've had her grandma, her momma, and now her. She's always been this kind of filly. I brought her out here, where they give horses three weeks (between trials and final), thinking it would help her, and it has. She likes that. She likes to run fresh. She's real fast."

In her career, Shaken Goin On has won nine of her 16 starts. This was her third win at Los Alamitos racing from the rail.

"She's been on the rail at three different tracks. It doesn't bother her," Willis added.

EG High Desert Farms' Favorite Jesshawk, who earlier this year won the Grade 2 Golden State Derby, posted the second fastest time of :19.855.

Ridden by Ricardo Ramirez for trainer Jesus Nunez, the son of A Mere Felix also ran second in the Governor's Cup Derby in the summer.

Cedar Creek Tree Farm Ranch And Racing's CCR Political Wrap continued his strong form with a third-place finish in this trial for trainer Hector Magallanes. Ridden here by Oscar Peinado, the son of Apollitical Jess posted a time of :19.860 to finish with the third fastest qualifying time.

He returned to Los Alamitos after winning five straight starts in Oregon. He ran second in an allowance event here upon his return before posting this solid qualifying effort. He also hit the board in two starts at Los Alamitos during his juvenile campaign.

Francos Ranch and Mario Tellez Montiel's Show N Tell Cartel won the second trial in the fifth fastest qualifying time of :20.032 to advance to his third derby of the season. The winner of the Grade 2 El Primero Del Ano Derby in March, Show N Tell Cartel also competed in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby on November 9, finishing seventh against a stellar field. Cesar Franco piloted the Tell Cartel gelding for trainer Elena Andrade.

"He's maturing so much right now," Andrade said. "His body is getting bigger; he's filling out more. He's really starting to come into himself. He's become very consistent. In everything we put him in, he seems to do his job and is getting us into big dances. He's become very versatile. He showed tonight that he can win from the inside as well as the outside."

Gentry Spirit's Ohana Spirit finished second to Show N Tell Cartel, while Armando Arreola, Cheryl Stokes, and Tungsten Racing Partnership's Train B Taka ran third. They were the only other horses to qualify from the second trial.

Trained by Marc Jungers, Train B Taka ran second in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby and third in the El Primero earlier this year.

CLICK HERE for the complete list of qualifiers with times, connections, and breeding lines.

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

Would you like more industry news delivered directly to your inbox? Click here to sign up.