Page 150 - March 2020

Los Alamitos Winter Derby-G1
TELL CARTEL
by Tracy Gantz
The stallion Favorite Cartel completed the Trifecta of the $190,550 Los Alamitos Winter Derby-G1 on Feb. 8. His son Tell Cartel won, followed by You Can Run in second and Mental Error in third, both also by Favorite Cartel.
Martha Wells, who has won many stakes events at Los Alamitos, owns and bred Tell Cartel, and the Los Alamitos Winter Derby was her first Grade 1 victory. She finished sec- ond in the last two editions of the race, with Red Hawk Cartel in 2019 and his full brother Yanque in 2018.
The three horses, all bred by Wells, are related. All are by Favorite Cartel. Yanque and Red Hawk Cartel are out of Red Hawk Chick, a daughter of Chicks Tell, who is the dam of Tell Cartel.
Yanque had most recently won the Barbra B Handicap at Los Alamitos on Jan. 12 when ridden by Ruben Lozano. The jockey also piloted Tell Cartel in the Los Alamitos Winter Derby, getting his first Grade 1 vic- tory as well.
“I told Ruben to ride him like he rides Yanque,” said Wells. “Ruben just gave me a little wink and a nod and went, ‘Okay.’ When he came back to the winner’s circle,
he said, ‘Just like Yanque, right?’”
Tell Cartel went off at 17-1 in the 400-yard Los Alamitos Winter Derby-G1.
Favored Cartel Jess Rockin got off slowly and was bumped from both sides, while Tell Cartel broke in midpack. Tell Cartel quickly got to the lead at the top
of the stretch, winning by 3/4-length in :19.610 and posting a 97 speed index.
The $80,031 winner’s share of the purse boosted his total lifetime earnings
to $160,016.
Matthew Fales trains Tell Cartel, Red Hawk Cartel, and Yanque for Wells. The trainer was winning his first Grade 1 derby, though he had previously won the 2018 Cox Ranch Distance Challenge Championship-G1 with Mickey Ward.
“It’s been my dream to compete in these races,” stated Fales, “and Martha Wells has given me the opportunity to compete in this race with this caliber of horses. She’s 99% the backbone of our group.”
Tell Cartel was win- ning his first stakes race in this event. Last year, he ran second in the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity-G2 and he was third in the Pat Hyland Memorial Handicap.
“He has always had a lot of talent,” stated Fales. “He’s had a little bit of bad luck. Tonight he was able to put it all together for Ruben. This is Ruben’s
first mount on Tell Cartel. But ever since he knew he was going to ride him in the final, he’s been coming by the barn to get him ready. He’s put in the work.
“My colt came in strong, and I think that made a difference. He was peaking at the right time. There looked like there was a little trouble to his outside. He stepped away clean, and he got to let his talent
shine tonight.”
Wells spoke highly of Fales’ job with Tell Cartel and all of her horses.
“He wants to make sure that every horse is taken care of,” Wells said. “I’m so glad for him, too. He works so hard.”
Los Alamitos $190,550 • 400 yards :19.610 • si 97
Favorite Trick TB
Favorite Cartel
Shenoshercorona
TELL CARTEL, ‘17-c.
Chicks Beduino
Chicks Tell
Tell The Boys No
148 SPEEDHORSE March 2020
Tell Cartel and Ruben Lozano score a 3/4-length victory in the $190,550 Los Alamitos Winter Derby-G1
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