PCQHRA Breeders' Futurity

Keith W. Nellesen's Political Rivalry broke sharply from post 9 and sprinted to a wire-to-wire victory in Sunday's 350-yard, $249,900 PCQHRA Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Los Alamitos.

The seventh-fastest qualifier from six trials run on September 10, Political Rivalry defeated third-fastest qualifier Southern Divine by a half of a length in :17.470. Jose Nicasio rode the bay son of champion KVN Corona for trainer Heath Taylor.

Political Rivalry was coming off of a neck victory in his PCQHRA Breeders' Futurity trial. The gelding was bred in Utah by McColee Land and Livestock LLC, and he is out of Apollitical Zoom, an 11-year-old Idaho-bred daughter of Apollitical Jess who won the 2015 Las Damas Handicap (G3) at Los Alamitos. He traces back to his third dam, champion AB What A Runner, a daughter of Royal Quick Dash and the winner of the '02 All American Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs.

Raced exclusively in California, Political Rivalry has won all six of his starts, including the June 18, 350-yard Ed Burke Million Futurity (G1) as the fastest qualifier, and the $107,100 winner's share of the purse from his second stakes victory increased his bankroll to $488,578.

"You don't get many of them with this kind of record," said Taylor of Political Rivalry. "Usually somewhere along the way, you get a bump in the road. This horse has just been phenomenal. He just continues to go on.

"We've been fortunate that he's been healthy and sound," the trainer added. "They do a tremendous job (at Los Alamitos) taking care of the surface. I think that's a big attribute to helping the horse. It's hard to win one futurity and super hard to win two. To win six in a row is really difficult."

Taylor also said that Political Rivalry would be pointed to the 400-yard Los Alamitos Two-Million Futurity (G1) trials on November 19.

"He doesn't owe anybody anything," Taylor said. "If he has any issues, we'll wait until later on and run the horse when he's ready. As long as everything is good, he'll run in the trials to the Two-Million."

Double Down 123 finished third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Political Rivalry, and was followed by Talk Bout Somethin, Winners Share, Send In A Favor, MV Royal Pappasito, Optical Illusion, and fastest qualifier Cowgirl Upp.

Click here for a more detailed recap of the race.

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