LOS ALAMITOS, CA—FEBRUARY 11, 2016—The purse for the 2017 Los Alamitos Super Derby could end up being a stakes record of $1.1 million after the original nominations figures increased by an impressive 44% and the numbers held up strongly following the second nomination payment on January 15.

A total of 327 horses were part of the original nominations for the 2017 Super Derby, up from the 227 original nominations for the 2016 Los Alamitos Super Derby. The 2017 nominations represent the highest number since 336 horses were nominated for the 2012 Super Derby, a year in which the final also featured a $1 million purse.

“It’s a huge increase for 2017,” said Ed Allred, the owner of Los Alamitos Race Course. “It’s encouraging to see the nominations to the Los Alamitos Super Derby increase by nearly 50% for next year and a positive trend that we’re seeing in several of our other stakes races as well.”

Allred noted that the original nominations for the 2016 Los Alamitos Derby took place in a year in which the industry started seeing several important changes in Clenbuterol testing in major races.

“The 2016 Super Derby will still have a purse of around $800,000,” Allred added.

The all-time record purse for the Super Derby of $1,050,000 was set in 2010 when the original nominations closed with 308 horses. As of the January 15 payment, 312 horses remain eligible for the 2017 Super Derby - a figure that is still higher than the original nominations from that record purse of 2010, a year that also featured three horses that were late supplements to the race.

All qualifiers (top 10) to both the 2016 and 2017 Los Alamitos Super Derby are hair and blood tested within 24 hours after the trials by the Los Alamitos Race Course supervising track veterinarians utilizing the UC Davis Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory. Horses with positive findings for zero tolerance substances including but not limited to, Clenbuterol, Albuterol, Zilpaterol, Ractopamine or any analogues in their system, will be given a “non time” and will not run in the finals.

For complete Los Alamitos Super Derby rules, please contact Los Alamitos Nominations Director Melodie Knuchell at 714-820-2801 or visit www.losalamitos.com.

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.