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LOS ALAMITOS, CA–MARCH 3, 2025–Train B Taka continues to roll at Los Alamitos. Owned by Cheryl Stokes, Armando Arreola, and Tungsten Racing Partnership, Train B Taka recorded his fourth win in five starts at Los Alamitos, with his latest victory also setting the fastest qualifying time to the Grade 2, $235,600 El Primero Del Ano Derby here on Sunday night.

There were 27 colts and geldings in the four trials, with the 10 fastest times moving on to the 400-yard final on Sunday, March 23. Ridden by Edwin Escobedo for trainer Marc Jungers, Train B Taka ran like a powerful locomotive in the opening trial, leading from start to finish while posting a 3/4-length victory in a time of 19.634.

His win also came in the most productive trial of the night, as the second and third fastest qualifiers also came out of this trial in Fire Tools 123 and Show N Tell Cartel, respectively.

Sired by Freighttrain B, the Rancho El Cabresto-bred Train B Taka has been tremendous since making his local debut in an allowance at Los Alamitos on December 8. Winner of that race, Train B Taka followed the effort with a 3/4-length win in the Holiday Handicap to finish out his juvenile campaign. He then secured a hard-fought victory over Brown Coffeee while also posting the fastest qualifying time to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby on January 26.

Another battle was expected between Train B Taka and Brown Coffeee in the Winter Derby final, but Brown Coffeee took off right from the start and never looked back, while Train B Taka had to settle for second place in his only loss at Los Alamitos.

Seeing Train B Taka return to winning form was a wonderful sight for his connections.

“He really enjoys Los Alamitos,” Junger said. “He’s California-bred, and he’s fitted well here. He’s done extremely well here in California.”

Junger is ready to put the Winter Derby behind him.

“(Train B Taka) broke a little tardy, and (Brown Coffeee) is outstanding,” Junger added. “I mean, he ran huge in the Los Alamitos Two Million, and on any given day, you know how that is. Train B Taka ran huge tonight, and if he had run this race in the Winter final, we may have won it. Who knows? We’re here, and we’re excited and glad to have another shot.”

CD Horses 123, Jose Flores, and Robyn Gordon’s Fire Tools 123, who ran a solid sixth in the Winter Derby, ran big in the opening trial to post the second-fastest time of 19.775.

Bred by George and Sandra Villalobos and trained by Flores, the son of Flying Cowboy 123 has now finished in the money in four of nine starts, with this runner-up effort being the best overall race of his career. Cruz Mendez piloted the chestnut gelding.

Mario Montiel’s Show N Tell Cartel finished with the third fastest time of 19.800. The Tell Cartel gelding was claimed for $16,000 after running second in the Los Alamitos Claiming Stakes last August 18. Since then, the Elena Andrade trainee has finished second in the $30,000 Ah Sigh Handicap, run second in a trial to the Two Million, qualified and raced in the Grade 1 Two Million, and has now qualified to the El Primero. Cesar Franco piloted the Link Newcomb-bred runner.

Clanfield Act Stables’ Favorite Semental won the second trial by a half-length over Ed Allred’s Do The Job as the two standouts finished with the fourth and fifth fastest times. Sired by Favorite Cartel, the homebred colt covered the distance in 19.851. He also came into this race after running in the Winter Derby, in which he qualified following a strong trial victory from along the rail.

Ridden by Gabriel Lara for trainer Scott Willoughby, Do The Job lived up to his name, as he was the surprise package of the night, running second at odds of 44-1 while advancing to the final in a time of 19.906. The Fly Thru The Fire gelding was bred by Allred and is out of the outstanding broodmare and graded stakes winner Up To Party.

Allred, Willoughby, and Lara also teamed up with rising star Defending Champ, who was all heart in winning the fourth and final trial of the night in the sixth fastest time of the night of 19.923. The gelding by Favorite Cartel was sixth at the start of his trial but gained speed with each stride and eventually wore down Speed Favorite and Ultimate Battle to win this trial by a neck.

Defending Champ will now make his anticipated stakes debut. His connections opted to skip the trials to the Winter Derby in late January to focus on the El Primero.

“We had Norco in the other race,” Willoughby said. “This horse has just figured out how to get down the track. I wanted to give him an easier race, and he ran a really good race (when breaking his maiden on February 8). He broke terrible tonight but came running down through there. I expect a lot from him in the final. I think he’ll love (400 yards). We’ve been waiting for him to get down the racetrack. He’s just been a late-blooming, and he’s now come around really well.”

Keith Nellesen’s Jess Send Kevin, who ran in the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity last year and in the Winter Derby in his last start, won the third El Primero trial by a 1/2-length over Governor’s Cup Futurity finalist Midnight Mood. The two geldings advanced to the derby final.

Here’s the complete list of qualifiers: Train B Taka (:19.634), Fire Tools 123 (:19.775), Show N Tell Cartel (:19.800), Favorite Semental (:19.851), Do The Job (:19.906), Defending Champ (:19.923), Speed Favorite (:19.961), Ultimate Battle (:19.967), Jess Send Kevin (:19.925), and Midnight Mood (:20.009).

CLICK HERE for complete details on the $235,600 El Primero Del Ano Derby [G2] trials, including horse, sex, sire, dam, dam sire, owner, breeder, trainer, and jockey. Finals are to be run on March 23, 2025.

Editor's note: A photo of this race will be posted with this article as soon as it is available from the track photographer.

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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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