El Primero del Ano Derby

Jeryl Hartley's Hes Chickless, a homebred son of champion Hes Relentless and the seventh-fastest qualifier, outran his 17-1 odds to win Sunday's $195,200 El Primero del Ano Derby (G2) for 3-year-old colts and geldings at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by Cruz Mendez for trainer Sergio Morfin, Hes Chickless covered 400 yards in :19.789 while defeating 7-10 favorite and sixth-fastest qualifier Party Politics by a neck. The sorrel colt banked $81,984 from his first lifetime graded stakes victory.

Hes Chickless was bred in California by Hartley and her late husband, Ron, and the colt was coming off of a fifth-place finish in one of two El Primero del Ano Derby trials on March 5. He is out of Chickitita, a winning and multiple stakes placed Tac It Like A Man mare.

"The horse had been training really well, it was just that in his last two races he hasn't had any luck," said Morfin of Hes Chickless. "He'd been bumped in those previous two outings. This time, he broke really well, and all I could say was, 'Hold on, hold on, hold on.'"

Raced exclusively at Los Alamitos, Hes Chickless has won six of 12 starts and has earned $140,241. His two career stakes scores include last year's Ah Sigh Handicap for 2-year-olds.

Mahomes Magic, Dont Sass KVN, Turbeau, Chester Carlson, fastest qualifier Price Fixer, Revenant Inside, Fire Pit, and Chickititas Cartel completed the official order of finish.

Click here for a more detailed recap of the race.

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