Good Reason Sa and Princelike finished only a head apart in a division of the Golden State Derby trials at Los Alamitos on Aug. 14. Chances are they will be very close to each other again in Saturday’s $262,500 final, on opposite sides of the track.
Good Reason Sa drew the rail for the Golden State Derby, while Princelike is on the outside of the nine-horse field. They are the leading contenders in the 400-yard final, which does not include fastest qualifier Chivalry Sr. After his trial win, Chivalry Sr was vanned off and was not entered in the Golden State Derby.
As a result, Good Reason Sa will be favored, seeking his first major stakes win of 2010 and the second such victory of his career. Last December, Good Reason Sa won the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity, his final start before the Golden State Derby trials. Princelike’s second in the Golden State trials was his first start since a second in the Los Alamitos Winter Derby in February.
Trainer Paul Jones said he thought Good Reason Sa would need the start in the trials to be at his best. Good Reason Sa appeared as if he would pull away to win by a half-length midway through the race, but was challenged in the final 100 yards by Princelike.
“I think he got out there by himself and didn’t know what to do,” Jones said.
Owned by Gianni Samaja, Good Reason Sa has won 4 of 5 starts and $814,095. He made his career debut last September and was in top form through the fall. Jones is hopeful that Good Reason Sa can be equally as effective this fall, for the $1 million Los Alamitos Super Derby on Nov. 6.
“He came back at the right time last year, too,” he said. “The Super Derby is a big goal.”
Princelike is trained by Jose Flores, who also starts Danny Cartel, who was second to Chivalry Sr in the time trials. Danny Cartel made his third career start in the trials, and was beaten for the first time.
Aside from Princelike, the biggest threats to Good Reason Sa are the first two finishers of the second of the three Aug. 14 time trials – Effectiveimmediately and Runaway Tyme.
