Carters Cartel faces toughest test yet in Ed Burke Futurity

Carters Cartel, who won the Kindergarten Futurity earlier in the year, will try to join an exclusive club when he takes on nine other 2-year-olds in the $1.13-million Ed Burke Memorial Futurity late Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

A win by Carters Cartel would make him the eighth horse to win the Kindergarten and the Burke, a Grade I at 350 yards. Hawkish was the last to complete the parlay in 2003.

The winner of the Burke becomes eligible for a $1-million bonus. A horse that can sweep the Burke, the Golden State Million in November and the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity in December would win the prize, but it has yet to be done since the so-called Cash Bonanza began in 1998.

Owned by Dutch Masters III and trained by Jaime Gomez, Carters Cartel, who was the fastest qualifier in trials for the Burke two weeks ago, will be ridden by Alejandro Luna.

Blane Schvaneveldt, who has had to undergo several surgeries on his back in the past year, will be seeking his seventh win in the Burke and first since 1998 when he saddles Tres Spice.

Tres Spice will be ridden by Eddie Garcia, who is looking for his first victory in the race.

From the inside out, the rest of the Burke field includes Kiddy Up (who has won both of his starts), Magic Show Czech, Tailgunner Tom (a maiden), Freaky, Miss Kittys Bar Bet, Wicked Royal Cartel (who is three for three for owner Abigail Kawanakoa and trainer Paul Jones), Shez Snow Quick and Eye for Corona.

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The Burke is not the only Grade I that will be run at Los Alamitos this weekend.

Older horses will have the floor tonight in the $147,200 Vessels Maturity at 400 yards. The winner of the Maturity earns a berth in the $1-million Champion of Champions in December.

Volcom, who already has a spot in the Champion of Champions because of his win in the Los Alamitos Winter Championship, is one of five runners Jones will have in the race. He also will send out Dutch Schultz, Dicey Dee, Strength In Numbers and First Wicked Lady.