RACING ROUNDUP : One Man Band Leads Governor’s Cup Qualifying

A One Man Band edged Elmer T Jones in the third of nine trials of the $150,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity on Tuesday at Los Alamitos as the pair set the two fastest qualifying times for the Aug. 18 dash.

A One Man Band (17.53 seconds in the trials) and Elmer T Jones (17.54) contested the third trial of the night, in which 85 juvenile hopefuls bid for the 10 spots in the final.

Blisterin’ (17.60) recovered from an awkward start to win his trial impressively, and will be joined in the Governor’s Cup by two others from the Blane Schvaneveldt barn, Streakin’ Dash Miss (17.77) and Early Appointment (17.86).

Trainer Bret Layne also sent a trio to the final. My Escalon (17.73) and Miningman (17.86) were trials winners, while White Ice (17.86) ran second to Blisterin’.

Completing the unofficial qualifying list for the Governor’s Cup, which awards the winner $65,250, are Fusion Illusion (17.73) and Shaun Fein (17.76).

Nine grass runners will match up at Del Mar on Thursday afternoon in the spotlight attraction on the nine-race card.

The event, which is the eighth on the program and has been dubbed the San Diego Rotary Purse, will carry a prize of $41,000 and be contested at a mile and 1/16th. Ventriloquist will carry the top weight, 120 pounds. The 4-year-old Lyphard colt is a winner of two of six starts this year and will be guided on Thursday by Alex Solis.

Here’s the full field for the race from the rail out, with their riders and weights: Noble Dr., 111 pounds, Ron Hansen; Really Brilliant, 116, Kent Desormeaux; Strung Up, 116, Julio Garcia; Wave To Me, 118, Rick Privitera; Ventriloquist; Shapiro’s Hero, 111, Martin Pedroza; Chief’s Image, 116, Eddie Delahoussaye; Jetskier, 116, Russell Baze; Eratone, 116, Gary Stevens, and Carolina North, 116, Corey Black.

Ventriloquist is a Kentucky-bred chestnut who raced in France as a 3-year-old in 1989. The stretch runner failed to win in five starts there, but found his way to the winner’s circle in his second stateside outing, scoring an allowance victory on the turf at Hollywood Park on July 15.

Chief’s Image was second to Gulf Star on July 15 at Hollywood Park.