SHEA BRENNAN PREVAILS BY A NOSE IN KING GLORIOUS ON CLOSING DAY
CYPRESS, Calif. – Making his first start around two turns, Shea Brennan, the 7-2 second choice, outfinished 5-1 shot I’m a Bad Boy by a nose to win the $102,000 King Glorious Stakes Sunday, the final day of the Winter Thoroughbred meet at Los Alamitos.
Owned by breeder Nick Alexander and trained by Phil D’Amato, the 2-year-old Tough Sunday colt out of the Old Topper mare Carrie Rose won for the second in five starts and completed a three win day for jockey Antonio Fresu.
The $60,000 payday increased Shea Brennan’s earnings to $144,600. No worse than third in his career, the chestnut completed one mile in 1:38.46 and paid $9.20, $4.80 and $3.
“He’s a horse with a lot of ability, but he’s just still learning,’’ said D’Amato. “(Fresu) said he was still looking around through the stretch. He’s got a lot of heart, grit and determination I think the two turns helped him today.
“I thought (the finish) was extremely close, but after watching the slo-mo replay, I thought we had a good chance at it and sure enough they put our number up.’’
Fresu, who was aboard the winner for the first time Sunday, echoed that Shea Brennan still has some some learning to do.
“He was playing around a little bit in the stretch, but he was very game when they came to him,’’ he said. “He broke well and was pulling a bit into that first turn, but he relaxed on the backside.’’
I’m a Bad Boy, who entered as the only double winner in the race restricted to California bred or sired juveniles, finished a half-length in front of 3-2 favorite R Heisman and returned $6 and $3.80. The show price on R Heisman, who was trying to provide trainer Peter Miller with his third consecutive win in the King Glorious, was $2.40.
The order of finish was completed by Whiskyginandbrandy, Got’m Cot’m, Hardtobebetternow, Call Me Sir, Valentines Candy and the Gypsy Cowboy.
Tiago Pereira, the rider aboard Whiskyginandbrandy, lodged an objection against the winner, but it was dismissed by the stewards.
WINS BY JOURNALISM IN FUTURITY & TENMA IN STARLET TOP WINTER MEET
CYPRESS, Calif. –An impressive win by Journalism in the Grade II, $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity and an eighth consecutive victory for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert in the Grade II, $201,000 Starlet highlighted the six-day Winter Thoroughbred Meet, which concluded Sunday.
A son of Curlin and the Uncle Mo mare Mopotism, Journalism, four weeks removed from his maiden victory, defeated the Baffert-trained duo of Getaway Car and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up Gaming in the Dec. 14 Futurity by 3 ½ lengths under jockey Umberto Rispoli.
In the process, Journalism, who was supplemented for $7,500 to the Futurity, stamped himself a legitimate 2025 Kentucky Derby prospect for trainer Michael McCarthy and a partnership that includes Bridlewood Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Elayne Stables LLC, Robert LaPenta and breeder Don Alberto Stable.
A week earlier in the Grade II, $201,000 Starlet, the Baffert-trained Tenma won her second graded stakes, prevailing by 1 ¼ lengths over Look Forward after a race long battle. Juan Hernandez was aboard the daughter of Nyquist for Susan and Henry Chu’s Baoma Corp, giving the owners their fourth Starlet victory. They had won previously with Bast (2019), Varda (2020) and Eda (2021).
Journalism and Tenma both earned 10 points towards a berth in the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, respectively, with their victories. The Oaks will be run next May 2 at Churchill Downs, one day before the Derby.
The two other stakes were for 2-year-olds bred or sired in California.
Jockey Kyle Frey guided 16-1 shot Hey Jessie to a come-from-behind victory for owner-breeder Sayjay Racing and trainer Sean McCarthy in the $102,000 Soviet Problem for fillies Dec. 8 while 7-2 second choice Shea Brennan edged I’m a Bad Boy by a nose to win the $102,000 King Glorious on closing day for owner-breeder Nick Alexander and trainer Phil D’Amato.
Steve Knapp easily topped the trainer standings with seven victories, four more than John Sadler. It was the first local training title for Knapp, who was also the leader for the year at Los Alamitos, combining the Winter meet with the September (Sept. 13-22) and Los Angeles County Fair (June 22-July 7) seasons. He finished with 12 victories, one more than Sergio Morfin.
With a closing day triple – Dangerous Affair in the first, Dr. Ray D. in the fifth and The Scent in the sixth – Tiago Pereira shared the riding title with Antonio Fresu. Both had six wins, one more than Armando Ayuso.
Frey was the leader for the year with 16 victories, one more than Pereira.
Daytime thoroughbred racing will return to Los Alamitos in 2025. The Los Angeles County Fair meet – the first of three during the year - is scheduled to begin Friday, June 20 and continue through Sunday, July 6.
JOURNALISM IS THE STORY IN GRADE II, $200,000 LOS ALAMITOS FUTURITY;
CURLIN COLT ROLLS TO IMPRESSIVE VICTORY FOR MCCARTHY, RISPOLI
CYPRESS, Calif. – Twenty-seven days removed from graduating in his first try around two turns, Journalism became a Grade II winner Saturday with an impressive victory in the $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity.
Supplemented to the Futurity by trainer Michael McCarthy for $7,500 when entries were taken three days earlier for a partnership that includes Bridlewood Farm, breeder Don Alberto Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Elayne Stables LLC and Robert LaPenta, the 2-year-old Curlin colt was never far off pacesetter Getaway Car while racing in the clear, then took charge in the stretch, eventually prevailing by 3 ½ lengths.
Out of the Uncle Mo mare Mopotism, Journalism (left), the 5-2 second choice in the field of five, was ridden by Umberto Rispoli and completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.04. The victory pushed his bankroll to $158,880 and he paid $7.60 in a race with only win wagering.
Getaway Car, the 7-2 third choice and one of three entrants for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who was seeking to win the Futurity for an eighth time at Los Alamitos, wound up three lengths clear of stablemate Gaming, who disappointed as the 1-2 favorite. It was the first time in four starts the Game Winner colt, who was runner-up behind barn mate Citizen Bull in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Nov. 1, had finished worse than second.
The emergence of Journalism gives McCarthy two exciting Kentucky Derby prospects heading into 2025.
Bullard, a son of Gun Runner he trains for St. Elias Stable, Talla Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and breeder Three Chimney Farms, is 2-for-2 after a decisive win in the Grade III Bob Hope Stakes last month at Del Mar.
“It was either a race like this or the (Grade II, $200,000) San Vicente (Stakes) at seven furlongs (Jan. 4 at Santa Anita),’’ said McCarthy on the decision to supplement Journalism to the Futurity.
“We gave this horse every opportunity not to run today, but he had two wonderful works and he was very cool and composed in the paddock. He’s picking things up fast.
“(Rispoli) bounced out of there and put him in the game early. He found himself a little wide on the first turn, but he was always cruising up the backside. Around the three-eighths pole Umberto was asking him to it up a bit and he was slowly getting there.
“You could see it took him a bit to get his feet underneath him, but once he leveled off in the lane he was very good.’’
Rispoli, who was back aboard Journalism Saturday after riding him to a third-place finish in his sprint debut Oct. 27, was impressed.
“He broke very well and was nice and relaxed outside (Getaway Car),’’ he said. “I started to wind him up on the turn. He’s so smart and changed leads perfectly and then gave me a real nice finish.’’
Earlier in the afternoon, apprentice jockey Serafin Carmona picked up his first two Los Alamitos wins, scoring with Frost Alert in the first and Thirsty Destiny in the third.
Jockey Kyle Frey also doubled, going back-to-back with Polythene Pam in the sixth and One Smokin Dude in the seventh.
Racing resumes Sunday at Los Alamitos. Post time for the final day of the Winter Thoroughbred meet is 12:30 p.m.
The last of nine races is the $100,000-guaranteed King Glorious for 2-year-olds bred or sired in California. R Heisman is the 2-1 favorite on Ed Burgart’s morning line in the contest at one mile.
HEY JESSIE GOES TURF TO DIRT AND SCORES 16-1 SURPRISE IN SOVIET PROBLEM
CYPRESS, Calif. – A switch from turf to dirt proved no problem for Hey Jessie, who rallied from well off the pace to win the $102,000 Soviet Problem Stakes Sunday at Los Alamitos.
Owned by breeder Sajyay Racing and trained by Sean McCarthy, the daughter of Grazen and the Cee’s Tizzy mare Bea’s Cee took advantage of a contested early pace, finishing best of all to score by two lengths in a race restricted to 2-year-old fillies bred or sired in California.
The win was the second in three starts for Hey Jessie and the $60,000 payday pushed her bankroll to $95,640. She was fourth in her debut at Santa Anita Oct. 19 before graduating at the Soviet Problem distance nearly a month later on the Del Mar grass course.
The 16-1 sixth choice in the field of nine, Hey Jessie paid $34.20, $10.20 and $4.80, becoming the longest priced winner in the Soviet Problem since the race moved from Hollywood Park to Los Alamitos in 2014. She completed eight furlongs in 1:39.85.
“I’m mildly surprised,’’ said McCarthy. “I was confident she’d run well, but I didn’t know how she would handle the course although saying that I knew the stretch would benefit her because she’s got big, long strides and she’s a beautiful moving filly.’’
A return to turf is next for Hey Jessie. McCarthy indicated she will be pointed to the $175,000 Leigh Ann Howard California Cup Oaks Jan. 11, 2025 at Santa Anita.
Kyle Frey, who has been aboard the gray in each of her starts, said she is improving with every outing.
“She was really focused today,’’ he said. “When I swung her out in the stretch she had a real nice finish.’’
In the Air Tonight, the 3-1 third choice who was seeking her second lifetime stakes win – she won the CTBA earlier this year at Del Mar – outfinished 5-2 second choice Tequilandatherapy by a neck for the place. She returned $4.20 and $3.20 while the show price on Tequilaandtherapy, the 11-1 winner of last month’s Golden State Juvenile Fillies, was $3.
Grateful My Love, the 8-5 favorite, Musical Number, Chilly Philly, How About Pavel, Z’s Wardrobe and Cioppinas Pasadina completed the order of finish.
Racing resumes Friday at Los Alamitos. Post time for is 12:30 p.m.
TENMA ($7) PROVIDES GIVES BAFFERT EIGHTH CONSECUTIVE WIN IN STARLET STAKES
CYPRESS, Calif. –Trainer Bob Baffert made it eight consecutive victories in the Grade II, $201,000 Starlet as 5-2 second choice Tenma earned a hard-fought decision over 7-1 shot Look Forward Saturday at Los Alamitos.
Idle since suffering her first defeat when trying two turns for the first time in the Grade II Oak Leaf a little over two months earlier, the 2-year-old daughter of Nyquist out of the Tapit mare Amagnsett exchanged punches with the eventual runner-up for the entire 1 1/16 miles before ultimately prevailing by 1 ¼ lengths.
Owned by Baoma Corp – which collected a fourth Starlet victory after scoring previously with Bast (2019, Varda (2020) and Eda (2021) – Tenma completed the distance in 1:44.16 and returned $7, $4 and $2.60.
Her third win in four attempts – in her first collaboration with jockey Juan Hernandez - increased Tenma’s earnings to $369,000.
It was also her second graded success as she had captured the Grade I Del Mar Debutante Sept. 7 four weeks before finishing a distant third behind stablemate Non Compliant in the Oak Leaf.
Overall, the win added to Baffert’s record total in the Starlet. He now has 11, including the trio he won at Hollywood Park when the race was run as the Hollywood Starlet. His victories in Inglewood came with Excellent Meeting (1998), Habibti (2001) and Streaming (2013).
“It’s great to win the Starlet again,’’ said Baffert via phone. “She had been training really well. She took a step back after Del Mar, so that’s why we decided to pass the Breeders’ Cup (Juvenile Fillies). She was back to her old self and I thought she would bring her A game. (Hernandez) is riding with a lot of confidence.’’
The Starlet win was the second in a row and third in four years for Hernandez, who won the 2023 renewal with Nothing Like You and 24 months prior with Eda.
“I worked her before her first race (Aug. 18) and then again last week and she went really well,’’ said Hernandez. “With the blinkers off she relaxed perfectly and she was really enjoying herself out there.’’
Supplemented to the Starlet by owner J. Paul Reddam’s Reddam Racing LLC after a debut win at six furlongs Nov. 8 for the late Ben Cecil, who died three weeks after the victory, Look Forward wound up nine lengths clear of the rest of the field.
Now trained by Michael McCarthy, the daughter of Bolt d’Oro paid $6.60 and $3.60. Vodka With a Twist, the 17-10 favorite after finishing second behind the undefeated Immersive in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 1, was third and paid $2.60 to show.
Mawu and Nooni, the other Baffert entrants, finished 4-5, respectively, ahead of Practical Dream and Aunt Mo.
Racing resumes Sunday at Los Alamitos. Post time is 12:30 p.m.
The feature event on the nine-race card is the $100,000 Soviet Problem. Scheduled for one mile, the Soviet Problem is for 2-year-old fillies or bred or sired in California. In the Air Tonight is the 2-1 favorite on Ed Burgart’s morning line.
The Soviet Problem will go as the final race and has a scheduled post time of 4:27 p.m.
LOS ALAMITOS THOROUGHBRED MEET BROADCAST
TO INCLUDE GRAPHIC SHOWING PROJECTED CLOSING ODDS
The Los Alamitos Thoroughbred Meet will feature an informational graphic on the track’s simulcast broadcast showing projected closing odds for win wagers on selected races based on a mathematical calculation using Will Pays for that given race.
The graphic will be branded at Los Alamitos as the “In Play” Projected Closing Odds, and will be based on Will Pays, particularly Pick 3s and Pick 4s, which are thought to be reliable indicators of a horse’s actual closing odds. During its Thoroughbred Meet, the track will be showing these “In Play” projected closing odds starting with the third race on Friday’s opening day card. The “In Play” graphic will be available shortly after the previous race has been run.
“We’ll be offering these projected odds on our simulcast feed with an easy-to-read graphic,” said Orlando Gutierrez, the marketing director at Los Alamitos Race Course. “We feel that giving horse players more information is a plus and from there each bettor, individually, can determine whether this information is helpful to their handicapping and wagering practices."
The LACF Thoroughbred Meet will open on Friday, December 6. The first post each day will be at 12:30 p.m. For more information, please visit LosAlamitos.com.
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