8/12/2023..LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, CYPRESS, CA… Randy Young and Taos River Ranch’s Double Down 123 became the first multiple stakes winning juvenile at Los Alamitos this season after winning the $57,200 John Deere California Juvenile Challenge here on Saturday night.

     A filly by Flying Cowboy 123, the leading first crop sire of 2023, Double Down 123 had her first stakes victory on May 14 when she surprised a talented group in the Grade 2 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity. She enjoyed a month off after her Kindergarten triumph before shifting her focus on winning the California Juvenile. After a solid gate work on June 24, Double Down 123 scored an impressive ¾ length win in the trials to the California Juvenile, a strong victory which earned her the honor of having the fastest qualifying time to the final.

      Building on that winning effort, Double Down 123 enjoyed an excellent start in the John Deere California Juvenile final from post number seven and by the midway point she had the lead. She drifted in as she entered the final stages of the race, but she continued strongly to the wire on the way to a convincing ¾ length victory. Her victory in this race earned a ticket to the John Deere Juvenile Challenge to be held at Lone Star Park on October 21.

       Now with a three-race win streak to her name, Double Down 123 has become one of the top fillies in California and one to watch for the rest of the year. As for winning connections, Young and Taos River Ranch are certainly enjoying the Texas-bred filly’s racing exploits.

      “I want to thank Randy for allowing us to be a part of Double Down 123,” said Jeremy Trujillo of Taos River Ranch. “We’re very excited and very blessed. We’ve known Randy Young for many, many years. He’s been friends with my dad for a long time, 25-30 years, maybe even longer. Randy said he was looking for a partner (on Double Down 123). We decided to jump in. He showed us her works and we liked what we were seeing and were happy to be a part of her. We’re thankful for him letting us join in. My kids, Taos and River, are here and I wish the rest of Taos River Ranch group could be here.”

       Taos and River are the inspiration behind the name of Taos River Ranch, which in recent years has made a strong mark in California. The racing operation won the Grade 2 Bank of America California Championship with Speed Dynasty last year and purchased the highest seller at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale. 

      Randy Young has enjoyed his time at Los Alamitos as well, winning the Kindergarten Futurity in each of the last three years. Prior to Double Down 123’s victory in this year’s Kindergarten, Young won the Kindergarten in partnership with Dennis Jensen in 2022 with Valiantly and in 2021 with Fire Fast Honey. For this year’s California Juvenile, Jensen was all smiles in the winner’s circle knowing that his good friend and racing partner had just won the race. 

       “We’re a good close group and we cheer each other on,” Young said. “Me and Dennis had (Jess Dynasty Time) in this race. He was just as happy for us to win as me and him to win. Me and Dennis have a good relationship. We are looking to have another one next year and hopefully we can keep it going. We are a close-knit group. We’re good friends.  The Challenge is a great program. It gives everybody a chance to get involved. This is what we planned for (Double Down 123) and it worked out.”

        Double Down 123 will look to win a few more races in California prior to setting her sights on any out of state races.

       “We’re going to the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity with Double Down 123,” Young said. “After that, maybe we’ll go to Lone Star Park for the Challenge if it all works out. We have her in the (2024) Los Alamitos Oaks as well. We are excited and hope she keeps on going. We’ve been talking to her breeders, (Bob and Jerry) Gastons, and we’ve become friends via Facebook. It’s been a fun connection there too.”

        Ridden by Armando Cervantes for trainer Monty Arrossa, Double Down 123 covered the 350 yards in :17.683. She earned $24,945 for the win to take her career earnings to $146,508. She’s won three of her five career starts.  Double Down 123 is currently Flying Cowboy 123’s third leading earner. That could change on Labor Day as the sire will be represented by three horses in the Grade 1 All American Futurity.  

        Arrossa also saddled Andrea and Eddie Jensen’s homebred MV Royal Pappasito, who finished second in this race from post number two. Ridden by Cruz Mendez, the Utah-bred Pappasito gelding earned $10,846 for running second. Arrossa also saddled third place finisher Jess Dynasty Time for Young and Jensen. Bred by Paragon Farms LLC, the gelding by FDD Dynasty earned $5,424 for running third.

       Kevins Knockout finished fourth and was followed by Sweet Bet, Tooele, and Flying Cowgirl 321. Attacked and Choosen One both stumbled early in the race and unseated their respective jockeys. Wicked Cowgirl Smart was scratched after becoming fractious in the gate before the start of the race.

courtesy of www.losalamitos.com