Track Records Fall at Los Alamitos

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, owner Kaleem Shah and jockey Martin Garcia combined to go 2-for-2 at Los Alamitos Thursday, setting a pair of track records in the process.

Three races after Bernster returned from a layoff of nearly 36 months to break his maiden while establishing a new standard for six furlongs, favored Sweet Marini broke the record for 5 ½ furlongs while toying with her half-dozen rivals in the $55,056 feature.

Making her first local appearance, the 4-year-old gray daughter of Marino Marini and the In Excess mare Excessing was never far off the pace in the optional claimer,  then asserted her superiority late to win by 3 ½ lengths.

In winning for the fourth time in 11 starts – and second in four races on dirt - the 9-10 favorite completed the distance in 1:01.95, bettering the previous record of 1:02.51 set by Senator Bob July 10 during the Summer Thoroughbred Festival.

Second behind More Complexity in the restricted Betty Grable Stakes Nov. 9 at Del Mar, Sweet Marini paid $3.80, $2.40 and $2.40. The $35,880 payday pushed her earnings to $332,418.

Unforgettable U, the 2-1 second choice making her first start since Oct. 11, finished 1 ¼ lengths in front of Big Break, the longest shot in the field at 39-1, and returned $3.20 and $3.20. The show price on Big Break was $6.

Lotta Attitude, Twelve Folds, On Golden Pawn and Margie’s Minute completed the order of finish. Shakeitupbetty was scratched.

A $320,000 purchase at the 2010 Keeneland September sale, Bernster was making his first start since finishing second behind Midnight Transfer Dec. 26, 2011, opening day of the 2011-2012 Winter/Spring meet at Santa Anita.

Showing good speed from the outset, the 5-year-old son of Storm Cat and the Waquoit mare Halo America won by 1 ¼ lengths as the 2-1 favorite while completing the trip in 1:08.18. The previous mark of 1:08.40 was set by Seeking the Sherif when he won the Katella Stakes Sept. 20.

Garcia was one of three riders to double Thursday, joining Rafael Bejarano – Too Fast to Pass in the first and Adellusion in the fifth – and Tyler Baze – Singing Kitty in the third and Penny N Mitzi in the sixth. 

Racing resumes Friday at Los Alamitos. Post time is 12:30 p.m.

Source: Los Alamitos Race Course