The GI $1,111,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity

One Dashing Eagle ( '12 Ed Burke Winner )

The Los Alamitos Triple Crown begins tonight with the running of the GI $1,111,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity. The other two legs are the Golden State Million Futurity and the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. If a horse wins all three legs, the owner also get a $1 Million Dollar cash bonus.

Los Alamitos Race Course is the only race track in the country (of any breed, other than the Breeders' Cup meet), that hosts four races worth a million dollars or more. Those races are the previously mentioned futurities in the triple crown and the $1 Million Dollar Los Alamitos Super Derby. In addition to those great races, Los Alamitos also hosts the prestigious GI $750,000 Champion of Champions for older horses.

Last year's Ed Burke Million went to San Gregorio Racing Stables' & Jose De La Torre's One Dashing Eagle, who later on went to win the GI $2.4 Million All American Futurity and GI Golden State Million Futurity. He was not eligible to enter the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity because of a payment mistake, so the Los Alamitos Triple Crown remained vacant. He went on to retire to stud after his record-setting 2-year-old season and was named AQHA World Champion.

On to this year's edition of the Ed Burke, San Gregorio Racing Stables and Jose De La Torre are back in a great position to win it again. Both individually and as a team.

San Gregorio Racing Stables owns #8 Masherati B (trained by Jose De La Torre) and #9 Five Bar Cartel (trainer by Danny Montes).

Jose De La Torre trains #2 Turbulent Times, #7 Fire Up Willie (also owns), and #8 Masherati B.

The Ed Burke Million will go as race 9, the last race on the card and will close the late pick four.

For some of the runners that did not qualify for the Ed Burke Million, they are invited back for the Ed Burke Juvenile in race 4. Sadly there is a big purse difference in this consolation race and it truly puts in perspective on how tough it is to just have a horse qualify to a big futurity like tonight. The Ed Burke Juvenile will make the early part of the card interesting as it will close the very popular early pick four.

Selections:

Race 1:  5-8-2
Race 2:  3-1-2
Race 3:  6-1-7
Race 4:  2-3-8
Race 5:  6-4-3
Race 6:  3-4-6
Race 7:  1-2-5
Race 8:  6-1-4
Race 9:  3-8-2

My Plays:

Race 1 - $1 Pick Four:  1,2,5,8 / 3 / 1,6 / 2,3,8 = $24

Race 6 - $1 Pick Four:  3,4 / 1,2 / 1,4,6 / 3,8 = $24

Should be a good night of racing!