Super Screener: Other Baffert is the play in Los Al Futurity

One week after Bob Baffert upset himself in the Starlet Stakes, the Hall of Fame trainer is in a position to do so again in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity on Saturday.

The Baffert-trained Consequent won the Starlet at 14-5 over her favored stablemate Nimah, who was 2-5. Baffert has a trio of runners in the Futurity, 4-5 morning-line favorite Litmus Test and the 5-1 co-third choices Blacksmith and Provenance.

Baffert is 4-for-6 in Los Alamitos stakes races since 2015 in which he trains three of the starters. When looking at 2-year-old stakes races in November and December in Southern California, he is 8-for-12, and in both cases he has a flat-bet profit tossing the shortest price of his three runners.

This week's Super Screener is riding that wave with Blacksmith in the Futurity, one of eight races in this week's edition — the final one before Santa Anita opens Dec. 26. Subscribe to Super Screener now and get every issue through the Kentucky Derby plus daily Power Picks and Horses to Single reports.

"Litmus Test will be favored, but Blacksmith earns the top win and top value pick designations in this field," Super Screener's Mike Shutty says. "His debut going 6 1/2 furlongs was very encouraging, showing both balance and a solid late foot into a slow pace. However, in his next start he looked very uncomfortable racing in tight and did not show anything until getting in the clear late and picking it up in the final furlong.

"He is going to appreciate the added ground he is going to get here; his balance and stamina — rich breeding only adds more confidence — as does two sharp workouts coming into this."

The Futurity is the lone race in this week's Super Screener that is not at either Fair Grounds for Louisiana Champions day or at Turfway Park for Synthetic Championships night. Happy Holidays, and we'll see you for opening day at The Great Race Place.