The Grade 2, $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity Saturday at Los Alamitos offers 5 horses a chance for some factors on the “Street to the Kentucky Derby” within the final graded stakes for 2-year-olds this 12 months.
When it comes to accomplishments so far, Gaming is one of the best of the group having received the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity in September earlier than a runner-up effort within the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Offered by TAA final month. Getaway Automobile was fourth within the Juvenile following a runner-up end within the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes Offered by DK Horse in October. Two horses within the area try to earn the primary win of their profession on this area – Mellencamp and Rank, who completed fourth and second, respectively, behind Journalism, a powerful winner Nov. 17 at Del Mar within the second begin of his profession.
High contenders:
Coach Bob Baffert saddled the winner of the Los Alamitos Futurity from 2014 via 2020, earlier than his streak was damaged by Sluggish Down Andy in 2021, who was saddled by Doug O’ Neill. Baffert additionally received final 12 months’s version with Wynstock, and he has Getaway Automobile, Gaming, and Mellencamp on this 12 months’s race to attempt to earn one other win. That mentioned, Michael McCarthy’s Journalism could also be one of the best of the group. Though only a maiden winner, Journalism excelled final month in his first take a look at round two turns and ran the race with the maturity of a horse who had run extra than simply as soon as beforehand. In that race, Journalism raced fifth of 10 within the early levels then moved out to the three path on the flip and accelerated properly to go two horses in entrance of him and draw away by 2 ½ lengths. The 103 Equibase Velocity Determine Journalism earned for that efficiency is tied for one of the best within the area with Gaming for his runner-up effort within the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile 16 days earlier. Moreover, Journalism could be anticipated to enhance markedly off that determine within the third begin of his profession, so that will give him sufficient of an edge to publish the delicate upset on this area.
Gaming received the primary two begins of his profession, each round one flip, together with the Del Mar Futurity in September. Within the Futurity, Gaming ran equally to how Journalism ran final month, as he rallied from fifth to win going away. Gaming earned a 103 Equibase Velocity Determine within the Futurity, which he duplicated when racing in second from begin to end within the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Jockey Flavien Prat, who was aboard Gaming within the Futurity however not the Juvenile, takes the mount and simply set a brand new file amongst jockeys in North America for stakes wins with 80 wins for the 12 months. Contemplating the make-up of the sector, with Mellencamp and Getaway Automobile very prone to each go for the lead from the beginning and set a quick tempo, Gaming could also be in an ideal spot to stalk the pacesetters and repeat his Del Mar Futurity effort to win this race.
As to the remainder, Rank, who has but to earn his first win, has improved in every of his final two races, each round two turns, going from an 86 Equibase Velocity Determine on Oct. 14 to a 99 when second behind Journalism final month. In that race, Rank moved up from third after a half mile to guide for the following quarter-mile earlier than settling for second whereas effectively away from the third horse. He’s saddled by Doug O’Neill, who received the race with Sluggish Down Andy three years in the past. Mellencamp is also looking for his first win. He stretched out to a mile for his second profession begin final month however light from second to fourth behind Journalism with a 93 determine, which doesn’t look like aggressive if repeated on this area. Getaway Automobile seems to be a need-the-lead sort, having earned his first two wins in his first two races main from begin to end. He light to fourth within the Del Mar Futurity after main early, then adopted Citizen Bull across the monitor in second from begin to end within the American Pharoah Stakes in October, incomes a career-best 99 pace determine. Within the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, when unable to get close to the entrance within the early levels, Getaway Automobile didn’t threaten whereas ending up fourth of 10 and incomes a 97 determine. I don’t consider he’ll get the straightforward early lead he must win on this area and thus might run poorly once more.
Win contenders, in choice/chance order:
Journalism
Gaming
