Doodah Cartel, dominant winner of his El Primero Del Año Derby (G2) trial and undefeated in three starts this season, headlines Sunday night’s 400-yard final at Los Alamitos Race Course after posting a blazing :19.739 clocking.

© William Zuazo

By Orlando Gutierrez

CYPRESS, CA–MARCH 26, 2026– The sophomore division at Los Alamitos has belonged to one horse in 2026: Doodah Cartel. After a pair of breathtaking performances for the Grade 1 Winter Derby and a dominant showing in his most recent trial effort, the Thompson Racing, Paul Jones, and Alexis Andrade homebred enters the upcoming $185,100 El Primero Del Año Derby (G2) as the undisputed heavy favorite.

When the gates fly open next Sunday night, the central question will be whether any of the eight other qualifiers can stop a campaign that has been, quite simply, the story of the season. Doodah Cartel is currently three-for-three this year, a record anchored by his emotional Grade 1 victory on Valentine's Day and reinforced by his trial performance where he stopped the clock in a blistering :19.739 for 400 yards.

“He’s starting to mature; he’s starting to figure it out,” said owner Terry Thompson. “You can just see it. In the gates and his whole demeanor and everything leading up to the pre-race has been great.”

The son of Favorite Cartel has become a professional racehorse. After winning his Winter Derby trial despite being "knocked around" and losing his path, he showed a completely different dimension in the El Primero trials, breaking on top and dominating from start to finish to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

For the Thompsons, the quest for a second 2026 Derby trophy remains a family affair dedicated to the memory of Debbie Thompson’s father, Bernie Erickson. “Debbie and I were just tickled, and we are still on a high right now,” Terry Thompson said. “This [trial win] just puts us back again. Hopefully, he comes back in good form for the final. We’re looking forward to it.”

“He reminds me so much of [his sire] Favorite Cartel,” Thompson added. “Favorite Cartel wasn’t as quick of a breaker, but he had that big kick at the back end of it. This colt is starting to figure out the gate a little bit more. That’s two starts now that he’s broke [near or on] top. If he just gets good clean trips, we like his chances.”

While Doodah Cartel occupies the spotlight, the partnership of Steve Burns, Jose Antonio Flores, Gerardo Herrera, and Javier Alvarez Rodriguez have to be confident in Brother Ray. A multiple major stakes finalist, Brother Ray finished a solid sixth in last year’s Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity and was a finalist in the Governor’s Cup. After finishing as the third-fastest qualifier (:19.984) behind Doodah Cartel in the trials, the question remains: Can Brother Ray take the next step and secure his first major stakes victory? He has the experience and the pedigree to pull off the upset if the favorite falters even slightly.

Perhaps the most intriguing storyline belongs to Unmarked. Acquired by Oscar Parra for a $16,000 claim during the Los Alamitos Claiming Futurity last August, the gelding pulled off a 4-1 upset in the trials. The jump from the claiming ranks to Grade 2 glory may seem steep, but history is on his side. In 2025, Show N Tell Cartel followed this exact blueprint, parlaying some solid efforts early in his juvenile campaign to being tagged out of the Claiming Futurity before scoring the El Primero Derby title.

“We’ve battled with this horse, but here we are,” owner Oscar Parra said following Unmarked’s trial win. “He finally won and now we’re in a final.”

Under the guidance of trainer Francisco Rodriguez, Unmarked showed the resilience that helped win the Claiming Futurity last year under trainer Paul Jones. His trial score came in a time of :20.262 and was only the eighth-fastest, but his connections believe he is peaking at the right moment. “It was our turn tonight,” Parra noted, and they hope that turn continues through next Sunday's final.

The field will also feature Ed Allred’s More Of It, who had the second fastest qualifying time and a talented runner who is starting to put it all together with each outing. Trained by Scott Willoughby, More Of It certainly has the pedigree as the son of Favorite Cartel is out of the $164,280 earner Up For It, the dam of stakes winner She Goes Up, Up And Atem, Up, and Ready For It. He was outstanding in his trial, scoring the victory by 1 1/4 lengths.

Other top contenders looking for the upset include Cowboy Country 123, Good Mischief, Cattail Coast, Accuzation, and Jess A Lucky Charm.

The $185,100 El Primero Del Año Derby final will be contested at 400 yards Sunday night at Los Alamitos.

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