Los Alamitos will
kick off just its second Thoroughbred meet Friday, and has already attracted
some top-notch competition to take part in its $200,000
Los Alamitos Mile on Saturday. The eight-furlong contest for older runners
will share the card with the $75,000
Beverly J. Lewis Stakes sending sophomore fillies 6 1/2 furlongs.
Clubhouse Ride is the main attraction in the Los Alamitos Mile after taking
the Californian in May and finishing second in the Gold Cup at
Santa Anita next out.
The Craig Lewis-trained six-year-old took a slight break between that latter
contest on June 28 and his return to action on August 24 at
Del Mar, where he ran a
subpar seventh in the Pacific Classic over the synthetic Polytrack.
The chestnut son of Candy Ride has yet to compete at Los Alamitos but has
proven more than capable over conventional dirt surfaces in the past. Joe Talamo
has the return call.
Stakes debuter Masochistic brings a three-race win streak into Saturday’s
contest, scoring by a total 21 lengths in those prior efforts. The Sought After
gelding broke his maiden by 14 lengths at
Churchill Downs in
his second try for trainer A. C. Avila, wired a state-bred optional claimer at
Del Mar next out by 2 1/2 lengths and is exiting a 4 1/2-length triumph against
open optional claiming company at the seaside track. Victor Espinoza has been
aboard for all of Masochistic’s wins and retains the mount.
Tonito M. is a listed winner in Puerto Rico but is still seeking his first
stakes win since shipping stateside during the spring. The Jerry Hollendorfer-conditioned
sophomore ran second in Santa Anita’s Lazaro Barrera in his opener, finished
eighth in the Woody Stephens at
Belmont Park, third
in the Los Alamitos Derby behind champion Shared Belief and fifth most recently
while trying turf in Del Mar’s La Jolla Handicap, all graded contests. Rafael
Bejarano will be in Tonito M.’s irons for the first time.
Rock Me Baby is looking for a return to the winner’s circle after missing by
a length last out in the Del Mar Mile Handicap on the turf following a 3
1/4-length score in the California Dreamin’ Handicap. The Rock Hard Ten gelding
rallied for third behind the re-opposing Soi Phet in the Bertrando over track
and distance on July 3 and brings regular jockey Corey Nakatani along for the
ride.
Soi Phet was unable to carry his Bertrando form forward into the San Diego
Handicap in his next race and will try to rebound in this spot. The Tizbud
six-year-old is no stranger to facing high-class runners, finishing third in
last year’s Awesome Again behind Mucho Macho Man and Paynter. Kent Desormeaux
had piloting duties for trainer Leonard Powell.
Sky Kingdom will be tough in this spot off a runner-up effort in the Cougar
II Handicap at Del Mar. Prior to that, the Bob Baffert trainee captured the
American Flag going 8 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos in a track record time of
1:42.32. Martin Garcia, who guided the Empire Maker five-year-old for all but
one of his 2013 starts, takes back the mount.
Two races before the Los Alamitos Mile, Delta Flower heads an eight-filly
field in the Beverly J. Lewis. The A. P. Delta sophomore captured the May 17
Angel’s Flight in her first start since transferring to Hollendorfer and
followed up with a fourth in the Summertime Oaks last out. Among those she’ll
face Saturday is Santa Paula winner and Daisycutter Handicap runner-up Uzziel.
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