Page 116 - 18 January 2013

Southern California Derby-G1
CHECK MY THOUGHTS
by Tracy Gantz
Check My Thoughts impressed on every level, from the time he walked over for the Dec. 23 Southern California Derby-G1 to
leaving after the winner’s circle ceremonies. A big, strapping gelding, Check My Thoughts strutted into the paddock like a 2-5 favorite should, cantered off well in hand during the post parade, and stormed home an easy victor.
“He’s just getting bigger and stronger,” said Jimmy Glenn, who trains the gelding for owner-breeder Ed Allred. “He’s really devel- oped late in the year. Physically, you can see it. It’s just obvious to the eye. Last year he was a nice colt, but he’s just blossomed.”
Never worse than third throughout his career, Check My Thoughts sometimes has a little trouble at the start, but he can usually overcome it with his powerful acceleration.
“He has started breaking better,” said Eulices Gomez, who has ridden Check My Thoughts in every race. “Today he didn’t like the way he was standing in the gate. We kind of shifted him, and he got mad and threw his head. He was standing a little awkwardly, but he had his nose pointed forward.”
Check My Thoughts broke just a hair behind Consider and Attack The Cartel in the 400-yard Southern California Derby. After the first few yards, he had overtaken them. He battled with Shez Jess Toxic
to his inside, and they
matched strides through
the middle of the race.
Eventually, however, Check
My Thoughts glided past
the filly to score by a half-
length in :19.580.
According to Glenn,
that powerful late kick
has enabled Check My Thoughts to pack two Grade 1 derbies into his 2012 sea- son, the only 3-year-old to do so at Los Alamitos during the season. At 2 in 2011, he won the California Breeders Freshman Stakes and the Golden State Juvenile Stakes. He placed in the 2012 Holiday Handicap and the Los Alamitos Winter Derby-G1 before capturing the Golden State Derby.
In November, Check My Thoughts finished
third to Deniro and Hez Our Secret in the Los Alamitos Super Derby-G1. Those two went
on to perform well against older horses in the Champion of Champions-G1, while Check My Thoughts won his Southern California Derby trial by 1 1/4 lengths as the fastest qualifier.
Glenn said the first major goal in 2013 for Check My Thoughts
will likely be the Feb.
17 Los Alamitos Winter Championship-G1, the same
path followed by El Aguila Real, who pulled off the Southern California Derby/ Winter Championship double in 2011-2012. The winner of the Winter Championship earns a berth in the Grade 1, $750,000 Champion of Champions.
Check My Thoughts
always had the credentials
to be a good one. Allred, the
owner of Los Alamitos, crossed his homebred Pritzi Dash mare Just Think with Check Him Out. The stallion made his racing reputation exclusively at Los Alamitos, and his victories included the 2002 Golden State Derby.
Just Think also raced exclusively at Los
Alamitos. She won the 2003 Mistletoe Handicap and ran third in the PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity-G1. Toltackitt, the second dam, finished second in the PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity. Just Think has produced four winners from seven starters, including stakes-placed Deep In Thought.
Dean Frey bred, owns, and trains second-place Shez Jess Toxic (Take Off Jess- Dashing Fly Lady). Joel Cruz rode the filly.
Two-time Grade 1 finalist Last To Fire (Walk Thru Fire- Last Shall Be First) finished third for jockey Francisco Rubio. Elena Andrade trains the gelding for Jesus Avila and Jesus Cuevas.
Completing the Southern California Derby field were Consider (Corona Cartel-First Regards), La Corona Cartel
(Corona Cartel-Adashin Runaway), Last To Check Him (Check Him Out-Last Shall Be First), Attack The Cartel (Corona Cartel- Separate Tac), Mai Corona (Corona Cartel- Babe On The Beach), and Our Man David (Walk Thru Fire-Secret Goer).
114 SPEEDHORSE, January 18, 2013

Hennessy-TB
Check Him Out
Check Her Twice
CHECK MY THOUGHTS, ’09-g.
Pritzi Dash
Just Think
Toltackitt
Check My Thoughts and Eulices Gomez win the $167,482 Grade 1 Southern California Derby at Los Alamitos.
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