Los Alamitos' Bertrando 'the right place' for Soi Phet's finale

Defending winner Soi Phet is among 14 nominees to the $100,000-guaranteed Bertrando Stakes, a one-mile race for 3-year-olds and up bred or sired in California.

The sixth renewal of the Bertrando will be run Saturday, June 29, opening day of the Summer Thoroughbred Festival at Los Alamitos.

An 11-year-old son of Tizbud owned by Benowitz Family Trust, Mathilde Powell and Paul Viskovich and trained by Leonard Powell, Soi Phet, who also won the inaugural Bertrando in 2014, will be making the final start of his career if he participates Saturday.

“As of now, we plan on running,’’ said Powell, ‘’but we won’t make a final decision until (Monday). He’s doing well and he worked well this morning (at Santa Anita). “I had him going a half-mile in 48 3/5 and galloping out five furlongs in 1:01 3/5.

“He’s run some of his best races at Los Alamitos, so this seems like the right place for him to run his last one.’’

The gelding, who is out of the Siberian Summer mare Summer Jersey, has won half of his 10 starts at Los Alamitos and the five wins have come in stakes.

Besides the two Bertrando victories, Soi Phet captured the Los Alamitos Mile in 2014 and the E.B. Johnston in 2016 and 2017.

The other nominees include Acclimate, Brandothebartender, Grecian Fire, who was third in last year’s Bertrando, Hardboot, He Will, I Can Do This, King Abner, who has a victory and two seconds in three starts at Los Alamitos, Lymebyrd, Prodigal Son, the mare Queen Bee to You, Tough It Out and Tule Fog.

Entries for the Bertrando Stakes and the rest of the opening day program will be taken Wednesday, June 26.