Los Alamitos Notebook

LOS ALAMITOS NOTEBOOK

JULY 8, 2015

by John Mucciolo

A single graded race kicked off the action during the opening weekend at Los

Alamitos.

Los Alamitos Derby (G2): Watson, Weitman and Pegram's GIMMA DA LUTE

(Midnight Lute) took a short lead in early stretch and held off a game late

challenge from Prospect Park (Tapit) en route to a nose win under Martin Garcia.

The Bob Baffert trainee clocked 1 1/8 miles on the fast main oval in 1:47 to

earn a second straight graded win.

Track Stats

From a total of 34 races held over the California racetrack during the past

week, favorites won at a 29 percent clip and the top two betting choices

combined for 53 percent of the wins. Eleven races were won in wire-to-wire

fashion (32 percent).

Five of the nine winners on Saturday won when leading at every call. But

since 10 of the 11 wire jobs this past week occurred in sprint runs, often by

logical horses, we can't tab a definitive bias just yet.

Meet Totals

RACES:		34
DIRT:		34
FAVORITES:		10 (29 percent)
2ND CHOICES:		8 (23 percent)
DIRT WIRE:		11 (32 percent)

HORSES TO WATCH

Thursday (7/2)

3RD -- WARM ENDOWMENT (Unusual Heat) couldn't catch the favored winner but

put in a nice run to be a clear second in a fine debut showing for conditioner

Dean Pedersen. The juvenile filly could be sitting on a win in her comeback

race.

7TH -- MAGIC MARK (Benchmark) tracked in second, confronted the early leader

in the lane and then powered home a convincing winner at a nice price for

trainer Ron Ellis. The five-year-old gelding could be tough right back in what

could be the start of a nice form cycle.

8TH -- LILY POD (Bernstein) did everything right but win this race in a very

good first try for Richard Baltas. The filly, who was hammered at the windows,

opened up a big lead and just missed late, and we expect her top graduate before

long.

Friday (7/3)

1ST -- BLUE CILANTRO (Square Eddie) showed early foot and closed with good

energy at first call for trainer Ben Cecil, who rarely has his first-time

starters primed up. The sophomore miss should be expected to improve next out

which would make her very dangerous.

Saturday (7/4)

1ST -- SURFSIDE TIARA (Scat Daddy) couldn't get the winner but finished more

than eight lengths clear of third in a race that featured a fine top duo. The

Jerry Hollendorfer pupil will be a winner in the very near future in our

estimation.

5TH -- We didn't think TURNOVER (Big Brown) beat much in this one for trainer

Bob Baffert, but the gelding did so in impressive fashion making his seasonal

debut. The four-year-old could be almost any kind in the second half of this

season.

8TH -- PROSPECT PARK showed improvement in his second run off the layoff and

we still think this one has a few big trophies coming his way for conditioner

Cliff Sise Jr. The sophomore colt has some improved early foot and still owns

that late burst, and he has room for improvement.

Sunday (7/5)

8TH -- SUPER MAJESTY (Super Saver) has been spectacular from a pair of

lifetime runs and the brilliant sophomore filly surely should be graded

stakes-bound after running this field off their respective feet, crossing the

wire 15 1/4 lengths in front while geared down late.

A Look Ahead

Saturday will play host to the $200,000 Great Lady M S. (G2) for fillies and

mares.