Los Al Handle Up as Cedillo, Miller Take Meet Titles

Jockey Abel Cedillo earned his second Los Alamitos Race Course riding title while trainer Peter Miller topped the trainer standings as the Los Angeles County Fair meet concluded Sept. 26.

The nine-day season was highlighted by stakes victories by talented 2-year-old Enbarr , a first-off-the-claim score by Manhattan Up , and a gate-to-wire victory by Livingmybestlife , a $50,000 claim earlier in the year at Oaklawn Park.

In terms of business, all-sources handle for the LACF season showed a gain of 18% over comparable days in 2019. There was no September meet at Los Alamitos in 2020.

"While participation as the entry box could have been better, we very much appreciate those owners and trainers who did participate,'' said F. Jack Liebau, vice president of the Los Alamitos Racing Association. "The (handle) increase was more than 10% of what we had aggressively estimated and was attributable to an incredible 65% increase in advance deposit wagering in Southern California."

The 32-year-old Cedillo finished the LACF meet with 18 victories, eight more than closest pursuer Kyle Frey. Cedillo also led the standings during the 2020 LACF winter season.

Cedillo became the first jockey to win four races in a day twice at Los Alamitos. He first accomplished the feat Sept. 15, 2019, then matched it with a quadruple Sept. 25.

The other riders who have won four races in a day since daytime Thoroughbred racing returned to Los Alamitos in 2014 are Drayden Van Dyke (July 6, 2014), Edwin Maldonado (Dec. 13, 2015), Kent Desormeaux (April 23, 2016), Assael Espinoza (Sept. 15, 2018), and Jorge Velez (Sept. 22, 2019).

Miller finished the LACF season with seven wins, one more than Steve Miyadi. Hall of Famer Bob Baffert was third with five. The title was the sixth Miller has either shared or won outright at Los Alamitos since daytime Thoroughbred racing returned.

A son of Brody's Cause   owned by Baoma Corp., Enbarr rallied past stablemate Montebello  in the final sixteenth of a mile to win the $75,000 Capote Stakes Sept. 18 under Van Dyke, giving Baffert a 1-2 finish.

Taken for $80,000 by trainer Jonathan Wong for Brent Malmstrom's KAM Racing Stable, Manhattan Up, a 5-year-old Street Boss   gelding, responded to the addition of blinkers in capturing the $100,000 Los Alamitos Special Stakes Sept. 19. He was ridden by Tiago Pereira.

Livingmybestlife, a 3-year-old daughter of The Big Beast  , has now won three of five since being claimed by John Sadler for Hronis Racing out of her April 8 debut, when she finished second. She was never seriously challenged in her local debut, defeating Stella Noir  and three others in the $75,000 Lucky Spell Stakes Sept. 24.

The meet's other stakes winners were Loud Mouth —via disqualification—in the E.B. Johnston Stakes, and Samurai Charm , who earned her fifth consecutive victory leading throughout in the Dark Mirage Stakes.

Daytime Thoroughbred racing will be run at Los Alamitos for a seven-day winter season Dec. 3-12.

The winter meet will be highlighted by a pair of graded races for 2-year-olds—the $300,000 Starlet Stakes (G1) for fillies Dec. 4 and the $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) Dec. 11. Both will be run at 1 1/16 miles.

"We're looking forward to our upcoming winter meet where purses will be substantially higher," Liebau said.