Los Alamitos Enjoys Opening-Day Handle Spike
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The second summer Thoroughbred meet at Los Alamitos Race Course began successfully July 2, with a sizable spike in combined total mutuel handle.
"It looks like the day went very well,'' said Brad McKinzie, general manager of the Los Alamitos Racing Association. "The fact that our numbers are up is a good sign for us, because I think it means the confidence we built with the horseplayers last year—which I was afraid we'd lose because we'd been off the map for six months—was still there.''
The on-track handle of $541,636.30 was up over 2014 ($531,609.10) and the combined total handle was $5,392,680.04, compared to $4,580,023.87 a year ago.
In the day's main event, the $110,800 Bertrando Stakes, Magic Mark, an 11-1 shot, ended a drought with a 1 1/4 length victory over Ambitious Brew and seven others.
Placed just off the quick pace set by Spirit Rules, Magic Mark battled bravely through the long stretch under jockey Drayden Van Dyke and won in 1:35.50 for the mile.
The win was the fifth in 14 starts for the 5-year-old Benchmark gelding, who is owned by breeders Dorine and John Lanza and trained by Ron Ellis. Out of the Deputy Governor mare Jewel Magic, Magic Mark has earned $258,734.
No better than third in seven starts before Thursday since winning an optional claimer more than a year ago at Santa Anita, Magic Mark paid $24.80, $12.20, and $8.
"He ran very well on this track last year (third behind Sky Kingdom and Handsome Mike in the American Flag Stakes July 4),'' Ellis said of Magic Mark. "He got the kind of trip he needs today. (Van Dyke) had him perfectly-placed. At the head of the lane, I thought he was in deep water, but he battled back. He's a gutsy, hard-trying horse.''
Racing resumes July 3 at Los Alamitos, with first post time of 2:15 p.m. PDT. The first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive a poster of 2015 Triple Crown champion American Pharoah, who trained for a period of time at Los Alamitos prior to the start of his racing career.