Los Alamitos Futurity Racing Roundup

©2014 Calvin L. Carter. All rights reserved.

The “Road to the Kentucky Derby” takes us to California, Saturday, where a small field of five two-year-old Thoroughbreds will go to the starting gate of the $500,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Formerly known as the CashCall Futurity and Hollywood Futurity, which was run last year at the now defunct Hollywood Park, the Los Alamitos Race Course became the beneficiary of the Futurity (G1) when Hollywood Park closed its doors, forever.

 The Futurity has traditionally been the last stakes race of the season for young horses on the Kentucky Derby Trail and it has been dominated by horses from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert whose trainees have won this race a total of six times.

And this year, it appears that Baffert is set, perhaps, to score another victory with Dortmund who has been tabbed as 4-5 morning line favorite. Baffert has used the Futurity as a showcase for his future stars, and, his winners Real Quiet (1997), Point Given (2000) and Lookin at Lucky (2009) went on to become Classic Champion Thoroughbreds.

It’s clear that Baffert thinks he has a blossoming star in Dortmund and in a recent Daily Racing Form story he mentioned that Dortmund reminded him of Point Given, who, after winning the Futurity, went on to win the 2001 Preakness Stakes (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1).

Dortmund, with only two races to his credit, easily won them, both, by a combined 12½ lengths, and he’s already been chosen as the 9-1 individual favorite in pool one of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

Whether Dortmund has any classic potential remains to be seen. But, like most everyone else, I’m looking forward to see him run Saturday. And, a win in the Futurity would put him near the top of the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard.

Other horses that could, perhaps, be competitive in the Futurity include Mr. Z (5-2) and Firing Line (7-1).

*****

Under the tiered-point system implemented by Churchill Downs to determine Kentucky Derby eligibility the winner of the Los Alamitos Futurity Stakes (G1) will receive 10 points while the second-place finisher will receive 4 points, the third-place finisher will receive 2 points and 1 point will be awarded to the fourth-place finisher.

2014/2015 KENTUCKY DERBY LEADERBOARD

Individual Leaders ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. Carpe Diem, 14, Todd Pletcher, $660,000

2. Texas Red, 12, Keith Desormeaux, $1,136,000

3. El Kabeir, 11, John Terranova II, $210,792

4. International Star, 11, Mike Maker, $130,979

5. Ocho Ocho Ocho, 10, Jim Cassidy, $660,000

6. American Pharoah, 10, Bob Baffert, $360,000

7. Daredevil, 10, Todd Pletcher, $300,000

8. Leave the Light On, 10, Chad Brown, $240,000

9. Lucky Player, 10, Steve Asmussen, $96,481

10. Mr. Z, 8, D. Wayne Lukas, $413,326

11. Upstart, 6, Rick Violette Jr., $300,000

12. Bold Conquest, 6, Steve Asmussen, $72,176

13. Conquest Typhoon, 4, Mark Casse, $221,827

14. Imperia, 4, Kiaran McLaughlin, $163,804

15. Calculator, 4, Peter Miller, $120,000

16. Frosted, 4, Kiaran McLaughlin, $80,000

17. Far Right, 2, Ron Moquett, $115,906

18. The Truth Or Else, 2, Kenny McPeek, $76,000

19. Hashtag Bourbon, 2, Kellyn Gorder, $74,117

20. Keen Ice, 2, Dale Romans, $55,000

21. Hollywood Critic, 2, Barbara Minshall, $35,528

22. Eagle, 2, Neil Howard, $21,902

23. The Great War, 1, Aidan O’Brien, $170,702

24. Lord Nelson, 1, Bob Baffert, $84,571

25. Danny Boy, 1, Dale Romans, $55,544

26. Saratoga Heater, 1, Al Stall, $50,000

27. Tough Customer, 1, Wayne Catalano, $25,000

28. Classy Class, 1, Kiaran McLaughlin, $20,000

29. Flashaway, 1, Mark Casse, $8,999