Stablemates Toews On Ice, Mor Spirit Clash in Los Al Futurity
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Photo:
Benoit Photo
Toews On Ice, who has won three in a row for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, will stretch out and step up in the $350,000-guaranteed Los Alamitos Futurity Saturday at Los Alamitos.
The Grade I for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles will be run for the second time at Los Alamitos after 33 renewals at the now-closed Hollywood Park.
Post time Saturday is 12:30 p.m. The Futurity is the eighth of nine races and has a scheduled post time of 3:58 p.m.
Won previously by stars such as Snow Chief, A.P. Indy, Best Pal, Real Quiet, Point Given, Lookin At Lucky, Shared Belief and Dortmund, the Futurity is part of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby’’ series. The winner Saturday receives 10 points towards securing a spot in the starting gate May 7, 2016 at Churchill Downs.
The next-to-last day of the Winter Thoroughbred meet also includes a Los Alamitos blanket giveaway – one per paid admission while supplies last.
Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Toews On Ice finished third in the first two races of his career, but has since rattled off wins at three different tracks, including a 7 ½-length score in the Barretts Juvenile Sept. 20 at Los Alamitos.
A son of Archarcharch and the D’wildcat mare Wild Forest Cat, Toews On Ice, who has yet to run beyond seven furlongs, has earned $175,200.
Baffert, who has won the Futurity a record seven times, also entered Mor Spirit, an Eskendereya ridgling who has one win in three starts for owner Michael Lund Petersen.
Out of the Dixie Union mare Im a Dixie Girl, Mor Spirit has earned $78,400. He returns to California after finishing second as the 2-1 favorite in the Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs.
A win by either Toews On Ice or Mor Spirit would be the ninth stakes victory at Los Alamitos for Baffert, making him the all-time leader. He currently shares the top spot with Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas. The total includes wins at the Orange County Fair meets (1977-1991).
Seeking his first Futurity score, trainer Doug O’Neill will also have two starters – Frank Conversation and Sorryaboutnothing.
Owned by J. Paul Reddam’s Reddam Racing LLC, Frank Conversation returns to dirt after finishing third in the Grade III Cecil B DeMille Nov. 29 at Del Mar.
The son of Quality Road and the Unusual Heat mare Rushen Heat is 1-for-3 with a bankroll of $43,450.
In his only previous races on the main track, Frank Conversation finished eighth of nine going 5 ½ furlongs in his career debut Sept. 5.
A son of Repent and the Chapel Royal mare Royal Card, Sorryaboutnothing has a win – via disqualification – in two races and earnings of $34,320 for Fog City Stable.
Unplaced in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Oct. 30 at Keeneland, Hollywood Don will be making his second dirt appearance for Rockingham Ranch and trainer Peter Miller.
The Tapit colt out of the Belong to Me mare Ocean Drive is 2-for-5 with earnings of $138,250.
In his introduction to the main track Sept. 26 at Santa Anita, Hollywood Don finished third in the Grade I FrontRunner won by eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner and certain 2-year-old champion Nyquist.
Miller is looking for his second Futurity win, having scored with Comma to the Top in 2010.
Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, who has won the Futurity twice – King Glorious (1988) and Shared Belief (2013) – will send out I’malreadythere for a partnership that includes himself, Steve Melen, Richard Robertson and Steve Taub.
A Florida-bred son of Crown of Thorns and the Wild Event mare Wildfire Ruby, the gelding has one victory in five starts and earnings of $74,400.
I’malreadythere was third, 4 ½ lengths behind Toews On Ice in the Grade III Bob Hope Nov. 14 at Del Mar. His only win came on turf Aug. 8 when trained by Michael Yates.
Completing the field is the maiden Urlacher, who was disqualified from victory Nov. 15 in the race Sorryaboutnothing exits.
Trained by Eoin Harty for Godolphin Racing LLC, the Discreet Cat colt out of the A.P. Indy mare Perceive has banked $41,040 in four races.
The Baffert-trained pair and Urlacher were supplemented to the Futurity for $10, 000 - with an additional $10,000 required to start.
From inside out, the field for the Los Alamitos Futurity: Urlacher, James Graham rides, 121 pounds; Frank Conversation, Mario Gutierrez, 121; Hollywood Don, Victor Espinoza, 121; Toews On Ice, Martin Garcia, 121; Mor Spirit, Gary Stevens, 121; Sorryaboutnothing, Rafael Bejarano, 121 and I’malreadythere, Tyler Baze, 121.
Source: Los Alamitos Race Course
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