Los Alamitos Futurity Preview
We are racing solely on the dirt at Los Alamitos today for a nine-race programme in which the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity is the highlight. There are some competitive races to get stuck into in the build up to the big race and we preview our best bets on the card.
Race 6 - 2.58pm USA time (10.45pm UK time) – Maiden Claiming (5 1/2f)
A case can be made for a handful of the runners in this extended five furlong Maiden Claiming contest with the likes of Smiling Jojo and Uncle Juju both having solid claims, but they all have to go some to beat the gelding in the 10 spot, LAST CALL PAUL.
Steve Knapp’s son of Stay Thirsty is the most experienced runner in this field, having had six career starts to date, and he has shown a good level of form so far. He finished second on his first two starts in hotly contested Maiden Special Weights at Del Mar and has recorded form figures of 6754 in competitive events since.
This is a welcome drop in grade so he should be winning this if running close to his best form.
Selection: Last Call Paul
Race 7 - 3.28pm (11.28pm UK time) – Maiden Special Weight (6f)
A field of well-bred two-year-old males are set to go to post for this tricky looking Maiden Special Weight as four of the six-strong field are making their debuts, with the Bob Baffert-trained pair of March Of Time and Beneficial likely to be well fancied. However, John Sadler used to train a very good horse in Catalina Cruiser, who won on debut at Santa Anita, and it’s his offspring, BATTLE CRUISER, who is taken to do the same here.
Flavien Prat’s mount has the tenacious champion Giant’s Causeway in his bloodline as he is the sire of Thatcher, who is the dam of this Chestnut colt, so that is an added plus. Connections have been gearing him up nicely in recent weeks with solid breezes here and at Santa Anita and he looks to be ready to do himself justice on debut.
Selection: Battle Cruiser
Race 8 - 3.58pm (11.58pm UK time) – Claiming (5 1/2f)
The penultimate event at Los Alamitos is an extended five-and-a-half-furlong Claimer for the two-year-old filly division in which all of the runners have experience, and one that catches the eye is the Edward Freeman trained, UNIFIED A. P.. This filly had been improving nicely before a below-par run in a Starter Optional Claimer at the start of the month, but that race may have been a bit much for her as she was crowded out early.
She has valuable course experience as she finished a very good third over a trip just shy of this here back in July and she can dominate this small field if Francisco Orduna-Rojas can get her out quickly from stall one and into the lead early.
Selection: Unified A. P.
Race 9 - 4.28pm (12.28am UK time) – Los Alamitos Futurity (Grade 2 - 1m 1/2f)
Bob Baffert has won the Los Alamitos Futurity on no less than 13 previous occasions with Captain Steve, Point Given and McKinzie just three of the stars to have taken the prize, and he is responsible for three of the six who are set to line up here.
Coach Prime and Wynstock are coming in off the back of impressive Maiden wins and the Philip D’Amato trained Stronghold is likely to have a say off the back of his second in the Grade 3 Bob Hope at Del Mar, but they could all be playing for places as WINE ME UP drops back in grade having contested the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last time out.
After a determined victory in a Del Mar Maiden, this son of Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, Vino Rosso, was pitched straight into the Grade 1 American Pharoah where he ran a great race to finish second behind Muth. That horse went on to finish second behind Fierceness in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, with Wine Me Up in eighth, but this colt ran with credit that day and should find this task much easier.
He can resume winning ways before being put away for the winter with bigger targets in mind next spring.
Selection: Wine Me Up