The Lead:
Last week's Los Alamitos Starlet provided trainer Bob Baffert with an 11th career race winner behind Tenma, and he'll seek a 15th career Los Al Futurity victory this Saturday when sending out a trio of runners in the Kentucky Derby points prep. Baffert has won this race 8 of the 10 years since the former Hollywood Futurity moved to Orange County upon the closure of Hollywood Park.
Field Depth:
Grade 1 winner GAMING is joined by Grade 3 winner and Grade 1-placed GETAWAY CAR at the top of the marquee. The other three rise in class from the maiden ranks.
Pace:
Stablemates GAMING, MELENCAMP and GETAWAY CAR have the most early pace as you'd expect from the Bafferts, and it will be up to the riders -- and horses' cooperation -- to temper the pace. It's a difficult pace read for that reason.
Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.
#1-GAMING: Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity winner stretched out to 2 turns nicely when a clear runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile behind barnmate and loose-leading Citizen Bull. BC Juvenile seventh Jonathan's Way came back to run a reputable second in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs 2 weeks ago. Jockey Flavien Prat looks for a record-breaking 36th graded stakes victory on the year (Jerry Bailey, 35, 2003) and it's notable he was aboard for the Del Mar Futurity score and reunites with this Game Winner colt. First of 3 Bafferts, and consider the barn has won 40% at Lrc over the last 5 years. Proven goods.
#2-MELLENCAMP: Least experienced and seasoned of the Baffert trio, this $775K Constitution colt has dropped a pair of maiden decisions so far, sprinting at Santa Anita and routing Nov. 17 at Del Mar. The Del Mar fourth was behind Los Al Futurity return rivals Journalism and Rank. Juan Hernandez hops to ride stablemate Getaway Car.
#3-GETAWAY CAR: Since opening 2-for-2 and winning the Grade 3 Best Pal, he's dropped 3 straight including both bids around 2 turns. But runner-up and fourth to Citizen Bull in the Grade 1 American Pharoah and Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile are hardly indictments for a son of Curlin bred to route. Regular rider Juan Hernandez, a 34% maestro at Los Al in recent years, sticks in the saddle as yet another Baffert danger.
#4-RANK: Trainer Doug O'Neill looks for a follow-up Los Al Futurity winner to his 2021 victor Slow Down Andy with this 5-race maiden. He'll need to make up 5+ lengths on Getaway Car and Gaming from previous Del Mar matchups in the sprint ranks. He's run better going 2 turns in recent runner-up efforts with a route-on-route pedigree (Honor A.P. sire, Touch Gold damsire). But he had no answer late for Journalism in a head-to-head with that rematched rival Nov. 17 when clearly second-best.
#5-JOURNALISM: Visually impressive stretch-out maiden breaker Nov. 17 at Del Mar when rolling past Rank and Mellencamp, a pair of rivals again Saturday. Well-bred distance pedigree by Curlin and out of the classy stakes-winning mare Mopotism. Looked stellar in a team drill Dec. 1 on video at XBTV for Michael McCarthy and may be among the very best in SoCal for the coming Triple Crown trail. Long stretch run at Los Al should play to his strength.
Most Certain Exotics Contender:
GAMING has been first or second in all 3 starts and doesn't have any obvious flaws. You know Prat will give him every chance.
Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
None projected for the exacta.
Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$100 win JOURNALISM to upset the graded stakes winners.
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