Avanti Bello ends Los Alamitos drought with pace-pressing victory

Winless in his six previous starts at Los Alamitos, Avanti Bello scored after a pace-pressing trip in the $60,245 feature Sunday, the final day of the Los Angeles County Fair meet.

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The victory by the California bred son of Include clinched another local training title for Doug O’Neill. He finished the 12-day meet with six victories, one more than Jeff Bonde and Molly Pearson.

Since daytime thoroughbred racing returned to Los Alamitos in July, 2014, O’Neill has either led outright or shared the title seven of the 11 meets.

Owned by a partnership that includes Steve Keh, Pablo Suarez and Wonderland Racing Stables, Avanti Bello tracked Mighty Mo, who was making his first start in California and first on dirt, for most of the way, took over in the stretch and went on to prevail by 1 ¼ lengths. The 5-year-old completed the mile in 1:35.52 while winning for the seventh time in 28 starts.

Avanti Bello, who pushed his earnings to $491,399, returned $7.60, $4.20 and $2.80 as the 5-2 third choice in the field of six.

Giant Influence, an 8-1 shot cutting back in distance after trailing in the Grade III Cougar II July 26 at Del Mar, finished second, 4 ½ lengths in front of Mighty Mo, and paid $6.40 and $4. The show price on Mighty Mo was $3.20.