Vessels Maturity Trials Preview

Reigning world champion Empressum is one of a dozen aged runners entered in Sunday's 400-yard Vessels Maturity (G1) trials at Los Alamitos Racecourse.

Trained by Heath Taylor for owners Steve Holt and Jeff Jones, Empressum will be making his first start since February 19, when the 5-year-old Apollitical Jess gelding ran second, a nose behind winner Apollitlcal Pence, in the 400-yard, $144,950 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship (G1). During his world championship campaign, Empressum earned $587,896 from six outs and won the Grade 1 Champion of Champions, Go Man Go Stakes, and Vessels Maturity.

Empressum drew post 5 and will be ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo in the second of two trials.

Other prominent trial entries include Scoops Dynasty, a 4-year-old homebred son of champion FDD Dynasty trained by Monty Arrossa for owner Edward McNelis and Von Zae McNelis. Scoops Dynasty has banked $431,092 from 14 starts, and the gelding's seven wins include last year's Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby and Grade 2 Golden State Derby.

Scoops Dynasty drew post 5 and will be ridden by Armando Cervantes in the first heat.

The 10 fastest qualifiers from Sunday's trials will meet in the July 2, $150,000 Vessels Maturity final.

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