CYPRESS, Calif. – Beuteeful overcame a significant bump at the start to power away from eight rivals and win Sunday’s $275,800 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity for 2-year-olds at Los Alamitos.
Ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo, Beuteeful ran 300 yards in 15.30 seconds, winning by 1 1/2 lengths over 8-1 Fireworks Over Paris. Sentella Olimpia (23-1) finished third.
The Kindergarten is the first futurity of the year at Los Alamitos.
Beuteeful, who paid $4.80 as the favorite, and Sentella Olimpia, were two of three fillies in Sunday’s field. Another filly, Candy Eyed Suze, was scratched.
Beuteeful, who is by Kvn Corona, races for Keith Nellesen and trainer Kristin Watanabe. Earlier this year, Watanabe took over trainer Heath Taylor’s stable after Taylor was summarily suspended by New Mexico officials for medication violations last summer in Albuquerque. Taylor is one of Quarter Horse racing’s leading trainers in recent years.
Beuteeful, purchased for $26,000 as a yearling in Ruidoso, N.M., last year, is unbeaten in three starts and has earned $123,706. The win on Sunday was worth $115,836. Beuteeful won a 220-yard maiden race on March 29 and a division of the Kindergarten Futurity trials on April 19.
Nellesen said in the winner’s circle that Beuteeful has been nominated to stakes throughout the year at Los Alamitos, but did not state a race goal.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.