Baffert fillies lead nominations to Los Alamitos' upcoming stakes

Photo: Eclipse Sportswire

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert nominated four horses to next weekend's $75,000 Beverly J. Lewis Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Los Alamitos, where racing in southern California picks up at the conclusion of the Del Mar meet.. 

The Sept. 7 card will also include the $100,000 E.B. Johnston Stakes. The one-mile contest for state-breds 3-year-olds and up attracted 10 nominees, including defending champion Shades of Victory.

Baffert, who will be seeking his first win in the Lewis at Los Alamitos, nominated Der Lu, Flor de La Mar, Message and Qahira.

A $375,000 purchase as a 2-year-old, Qahira, who is owned by Baoma Corporation, has won three of five in her career, including her last two. Her first victory of 2019 came in her Los Alamitos debut July 17. The Cairo Prince filly out of the Bates Motel mare Motel Lass has banked $103,560.

The Lewis nominees also include Kim K., a daughter of Will Take Charge owned by Rockingham Ranch and trained by Peter Miller, who is already a stakes winner at Los Alamitos. She captured the Barretts Debutante in her second career outing during the 2017 LACF meet.

The other Lewis nominees are Andyoushallreceive, Devils Dance, Dichotomy, Don’t Sell, Holly Hundy, Madame Vestal, Magic At Midnight, Miss Ava’s Union, Mo Me Mo My, Motion Emotion, Nat Gio, Scarlet and So Gucci.

Owned and trained by Reed Saldana, Shades of Victory was 80-1 when he wired the field in the 2018 Johnston, holding off B Squared by a head with Edwards Going Left another head back in third.

A gray son of Thorn Song, the 5-year-old has won five of 25 and earned $150,170.

The other nominees are California Journey, who scored in his Los Alamitos debut July 7, Chieftain’s Lad, Cruel Intention, Feeling Strong, Fire When Ready, Oliver, Smokey Image, Three Ay Em and Tule Fog.

Opening day for the Los Angeles County Fair meet at Los Alamitos is Friday. Entries for the Lewis and Johnston will be taken Wednesday, Sept. 4.

Read More

If you've been waiting to see more of the talented 2-year-olds in Cherie DeVaux's barn, this is your...
Undefeated Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Ted Noffey is being pointed to either the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Jan....
By a near-unanimous decision, the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corp. voted to approve historical horse-racing machines to...
Louisville, Ky. He has two horses entered for Friday’s Grade 2 Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs, but trainer...
A deep and competitive group of 12 fillies and mares is set for Saturday’s $100,000 Pan Zareta Stakes...