Vessels Maturity at Los Alamitos : Go Partner Wins With a Near-Record Time

Go Partner, with James Lackey aboard, won the 15th running of the Vessels Maturity Saturday night at Los Alamitos Race Course before a crowd of 6,762.

Go Partner covered the 440-yard distance in 21.51 seconds, just off the Vessels Maturity record of 21.45, set by Azure Three in 1978.

The winning trainer, Blane Schvaneveldt, recorded his fourth Vessels Maturity victory.

The win was worth $62,640 to Go Partner, boosting his 1986 earnings to $79,933.

Go Partner opened up a 1 1/2-length lead and was never challenged.

Go Partner paid $10, $3.60 and $3.20. Second-place Prissy Fein, with John Creager aboard, paid $2.80 and 2.60. Eastex was third and paid $4.20.

“It feels great to win,” Lackey said. “The horse ran super. I just took a good hold on him, and the horse ran on his own.”

The win meant that Go Partner will be given an invitation to the Champion of Champions, the most prestigious event in quarter horse racing, this fall at Los Alamitos.