Jimmy Bouncer, Zulfikhar look good winning at Los Alamitos

Heavily-favored Jimmy Bouncer toyed with his five opponents to win the $46,345 feature Friday at Los Alamitos.

Poised outside pacesetter Overcomer and 3-1 second choice Coils Gold early, the 6-year-old son of Square Eddie took charge in midstretch while lugging in and went on to score by 3 ½ lengths.

Trained by Doug O’Neill for owner-breeder J. Paul Reddam’s Reddam Racing LLC, Jimmy Bouncer earned his second victory in a row and eighth in 16 starts in his Los Alamitos debut.

Out of the General Meeting mare Meetmeinthewoods, Jimmy Bouncer completed the 5 ½ furlongs in 1:02.92. The $27,600 payday increased his earnings to $408,735.

The prohibitive 3-10 choice, Jimmy Bouncer paid $2.60, $2.10 and $2.10.  A voided claim in his three previous races, the gelding was claimed again Friday with trainer and co-owner Mike Pender winning a four-way shake.

Coils Gold, who was making his first start since March 5 for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, paid $2.60 and $2.20 while finishing 2 ¼ lengths in front of 7-1 third choice Overcomer. The show price on Overcomer was $2.60.

Earlier in the day, highly-regarded Zulfikhar was an easy winner in his career debut under jockey Martin Garcia.

A $750,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale in March, the 2-year-old son of Bodemeister broke sharply, tracked the pace set by Fast Cotton, then took over early in the stretch to prevail by 3 ¾ lengths over 9-1 shot Almeria and six others.

Trained by Baffert for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum, Zulfikhar, who is out of the Mineshaft mare Pink Diamond, returned $3.20, $3 and $2.40 as the 3-5 favorite. He completed five furlongs in 56.73 seconds. The victory in the $46,035 race was worth $27,000.

The Los Alamitos Racing Association will play host on the third day of the Summer Thoroughbred Festival to a live money handicapping contest.

Cash prizes and three seats to the 2018 National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas are available.

Players can sign up between 10 a.m-2 p.m. Saturday on the mezzanine level of the Los Alamitos grandstand. The cost is $400 with $100 going to the prize pool and the remaining funds on a live money wagering card.

Participants are required to wager $50 on at least six races at Los Alamitos. Win, place, show and exacta wagers are allowed.

There are two stakes on the nine-race program, topped by the Grade II, $200,000-guaranteed Great Lady M. Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 ½ furlongs.

Finest City, the defending champion and the 2016 Eclipse Award winner as the champion female sprinter, is the 2-1 favorite on Russ Hudak’s morning line.

The field of seven also includes Grade I winner Constellation, Pretty N Cool, a multiple stakes winner for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, and Skye Diamonds, a winner of four of six since being claimed for $40,000 last Aug. 27.

The Great Lady M. goes as the eighth race and has a scheduled post time of 5:28 p.m.

Two races earlier, Soi Phet will seek his fourth stakes victory at Los Alamitos when he takes on six opponents in the $100,000 Bertrando Stakes at one mile. The race is restricted to 3-year-olds & up bred or sired in California.

There will be a Super High Five carryover of $7,891.65 when racing resumes Saturday at Los Alamitos.

The $1 minimum bet – which requires a player to correctly identify the first five finishers – offered daily on the day’s final race.