July 5, 2025 – LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, CYPRESS, CA
A decorated group headed by multiple graded futurity winner Up To Party, Governor’s Cup Futurity Favorite Jesshawk, and graded stakes finalists Call Her Perfect, Walking Tool, Defending Champ and Party Time Tom were among the top runners to qualify to the Governor’s Cup Derby on Saturday at Los Alamitos.
Ten sophomores qualified to the 400-yard derby, which will be run on California Breeders Champions Night on Saturday, July 26.
Dunn Ranch’s Up To Party, winner of the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity and Grade 2 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity, posted the fastest time of :19.715 after winning the opening trial in :19.715. Ridden by Armando Cervantes for trainer Ramiro Castillo, Up To Party took the lead shortly after the start and inch farther ahead with each stride before crossing the finish line ½ length in front of EG High Desert Farms’ Favorite Jesshawk. A filly by Kiddy Up out of the Grade 1 winner The Partys On Fire, Up To Party improved to six wins in nine career starts. Ed Allred bred the career earner of $548,650.
Ridden by Ricardo Ramirez for trainer Jesus Nunez, Favorite Jesshawk finished with the second fastest time of :19.786 and will now look to sweep the Governor’s Cup series after winning the futurity last year.
EG High Desert Farms has won the Governor’s Cup Futurity twice before with Magic Show Czech and Favorite Jesshawk and the Derby twice as well with Magic N Rhythm and Unclaimed Dividend. Favorite Jesshawk could give his owners a magic double while becoming only the ninth horse to sweep the Governor’s Cup series and the first to do it since Powerful Favorite in 2018-19.
Allred’s Defending Champ won the other trial in what has become his trademark style, a solid start, a push the pedal at the midway point, and scintillating closing move to the wire. The Burns-bred gelding by Favorite Cartel out of Eagle On The Fly caught Party Time Tom, who is Up To Party’s full brother, in the final 50 yards to win by a neck in a time of :19.812, the third fastest of the night. Lara rode the winner for Willoughby.
“He got away from the gate solid, but he was still fourth, fifth there,” Willoughby said. “He really finished strong. He needed the race; it’s been quite a while since he had raced. I think this will set him well for the final. He was so big as a 2-year-old and we tried to get him ready for the (Los Alamitos Two Million) after we had turned him out. It just didn’t quite work out. He was close. He’s turned into a monster 3-year-old. He should be good all year. Those 400 yards have been difference for him.”
The complete list of derby qualifiers is as follows: Up To Party (:19.715), Favorite Jesshawk (:19.786), Defending Champ (:19.812), Call Her Perfect (:19.835), Party Time Tom (:19.852), Its On You (:19.901), Walking Tool (:19.962), Snow Bound (:20.078), Back At It (:20.118), and Personal Attack (:20.0137).
