Preview Racing


Mister Appolitical Heads Vessels Maturity Field Sunday At Los Alamitos
Mister Appolitical heads a nine-horse field in Grade 1, $157,400 Vessels Maturity on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

© Scott Martinez
Mister Appolitical Heads Vessels Maturity Field Sunday At Los Alamitos

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JULY 3, 2020—Legacy Ranch Inc's homebred Mister Appolitical will go after his sixth victory in a row when he leads a nine-horse field in the 48th running of the Grade 1, $157,400 Vessels Maturity on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

To be ridden by Jesus Rios Ayala for trainer Terry Knight, Mister Appolitical has put together a steady streak of success.

A winner in three out of his seven starts as a 2-year-old, the son of 2020 #2 leading sire of money earners Apollitical Jess qualified to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity and was a winner in his trial to the Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity.

He had big 2-year-old campaign, as he won five of six starts headlined by victories in the Grade 2 Southern California Derby on December 13 and Grade 3 PCQHRA Breeders Derby on October 4. In three of wins in 2019, Mister Appolitical were by convincing margins of 1 ¼ length or more.

"The guys at the ranch they gave this horse some time," said Pete Parrella of Legacy Ranch after the Southern California Derby. It seems to have helped him. After he qualified (to the Southern California) we got some calls from people wanting to buy him. I called Terry and I told him 'I don't know how you feel about this, but I'd really like to run this horse as a 4-year-old next year.' Let's see if we can run in a few races and try to get him qualified to the Champion of Champions."

After winning his Vessels Maturity trial by a neck on June 14, Mister Appolitical is one win away from making Parrella's wish a reality. In addition to the $66,108 first place share of the purse, the Vessels Maturity winner will also earn a provisional berth to the $600,000 Champion of Champions.

"He's a fighter, he will give you his all," Rios Ayala said of Mister Appolitical. The gelding will start from post number six.

The Vessels Maturity will also feature Steve McIntyre and Marin Jones' Cole Man 47, a two-time futurity winner at Los Alamitos in 2018, Ed Allred's Chocolatito, who finished second by a nose to Mister Appolitical in the PCQHRA Breeders Derby, Gary Nutt and Turner Farms' Jess Macho Corona, the runner-up in last year's Grade 1 All American Derby, plus Jess Bet Me, Kissed By An Eagle, Santander, Bail Czech, and Get Away Car.

Rosenthal Ranch's multiple stakes winning son of leading sire Favorite Cartel, Powerful Favorite, was the fastest qualifier to the Vessels Maturity, but his connections decided to wait for another race.

"He is on the vet's list and needed a work before the final," trainer Chris O'Dell said. "We could have done it, but I didn't want to rush the horse. We will take our time. He's doing great right now and there will be other big races coming up soon."

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Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.