Page 158 - July 2022

RACING NEWS
Party Politics, who bumped at the start slightly but then powered down the stretch. The gelding battled with fastest-qualifier and favorite Aint He Tempting at the wire, besting that rival by a 1/2-length and completing 350 yards in :17.611, posting a 93 speed index.
“It was a tough race,” said Sanchez, who was winning his fourth Ed Burke Million Futurity. “We broke evenly. The favorite was pressuring, but in the end my horse was better.”
Aleman said that the group paid $100,000 for Party Politics, “but he paid his way tonight.” Party Politics debuted in a 220-yard maiden race May 8, winning handily, and then finished second in his trial.
“He had a little bronchial infection, and he got a little sick on us,” said Aleman. “We lost a work and we were not able to get him another work. He was even a question mark to run in the trial, but we didn’t have anything paid up for him other than the All American Futurity trials and we would have nothing to run at
until the end of the year in the Golden State Million trials.”
Aleman ran bloodwork to make sure Party Politics was over the problem. “Once he got the okay from the vets, we said let’s go for it,” Aleman said. The trainer said that Party Politics had a little trouble at the start in his trial.
“Ramon told me after getting off the horse after the trials that if he qualified, he would be tough in the final—he was right,” said Aleman. “The horse pulled up great after the trials. He was a little tired, which
I knew that he would be. He recuperated great. He was never off his feed.”
Aleman’s father, Juan Sr., was proud
of his son and recalled that he had recommended that Juan Jr. pursue his study of metallurgy. But when Juan Jr. wanted
to become a trainer, Juan Sr. urged him to do it. “I didn’t want him to look back years later and regret not having done this,” said Juan Sr. “I told him then that if he wanted
to work with horses that he should just do it right away. Thankfully, he’s been triumphant in this business.” Though this was Aleman’s first win in the Ed Burke as a trainer, he also has conditioned Champions Apollitical Jess, Apollitical Blood, Apollitical Time, Kiss Thru Fire, and Flame N Flash.
J. Garvan Kelly bred Party Politics in Oklahoma out of two-time stakes winner Shanachee. The mare has produced 11 winners from 15 starters, including stakes winner O Donovan Rossa, full brother to Party Politics, and stakes-placed Shannon Power and Racanteur.
Aint He Tempting (Tempting Dash-Preslee The First), owned by Dunn Ranch, trained
by Monty Arrossa, and ridden by Armando Cervantes, finished second. The colt won both of his previous starts.
Alberto Zepeda rode Quirky Bitty Jess (Apollitical Jess-A Bit Quirky) to third for owner J. Francisco Diaz and trainer Lindolfo Diaz. The filly also won her two
156 SPEEDHORSE July 2022
Party Politics on his way to victory in the $960,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity-G1 at Los Alamitos.
William Zuazo, Speedhorse