CYPRESS, Calif. – Stanley Cartel beat older Quarter Horses for the first time with a convincing win in Sunday’s $134,700 Vessels Maturity at Los Alamitos, earning a berth to the $600,000 Champion of Champions in December.
Ridden by Armando Cervantes, Stanley Cartel ($10.80) broke sharply from post 3 in a field of seven and led throughout, winning by 1 1/4 lengths over 7-10 London Toby and 5-2 Shakers No Secret, who finished in a dead-heat for second.
London Toby was second in the $135,700 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship in February. Shakers No Secret won the $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park in February and was second in two leading stakes at Remington Park in the spring – the $108,000 Leo Stakes and the $250,000 Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship.
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Shakers No Secret and London Toby were third and 10th in the Champion of Champions last December.
In Sunday’s race, Stanley Cartel ran 400 yards in 19.48 seconds, and earned $57,248 for owners Weetona Stanley and Dunn Ranch. Stanley Cartel is trained by Ramiro Castillo, and was the 52-year-old trainer’s first stakes win.
Castillo began training earlier this year, having previously worked as an assistant to Monty Arrossa, who is currently banned from racing at Los Alamitos after his stable had positive tests for banned medications in major futurities and time trials last fall.
Stanley Cartel, a 4-year-old colt by Pyc Paint Your Wagon, has won 8 of 10 starts and earned $217,406. Last December, in his final start for Arrossa, Stanley Cartel won the $157,400 Southern California Derby at 400 yards.
In his first start this year, and first start for Castillo, Stanley Cartel was second in the $40,000 Kaweah Bar Handicap at 350 yards on April 26.
The Vessels Maturity drew a field of eight. Relentless Eagle, winner of the $328,811 Texas Classic Derby at Lone Star Park last November, was scratched after showing signs of colic, trainer Marc Jungers said.
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