Los Al Futurity Field Taking Shape
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Toews On Ice has won three in a row, all stakes.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert could have as many as three participants in the $350,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (gr. I) Dec. 19 at Los Alamitos Race Course.
Baffert, who has won the Futurity a record seven times—including a thrilling renewal a year ago with Dortmund—might enter Dr. Dorr, Mor Spirit, and the streaking Toews On Ice.
All three would have to be supplemented for $10,000—with an additional $10,000 required to start.
Scheduled at 1 1/16 miles, the Futurity will be run for the second time at Los Alamitos after being known as the Hollywood Futurity (1981-2006) and CashCall Futurity (2007-2013) at the now-closed Hollywood Park.
The Futurity is a qualifying race for the 2016 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), with 10 points awarded to the winner.
Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, Toews On Ice has won three in a row, all stakes, including the Bob Hope (gr. II) Nov. 14 at Del Mar last time out. The Futurity would be his first start beyond seven furlongs.
Named in honor of Jonathan Toews, one of the stars of the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, Toews On Ice began his victory streak with a 71/2-length score in the Barretts Juvenile Sept. 20 at Los Alamitos and followed up in the Speakeasy Stakes Oct. 18 at Santa Anita Park.
Bred in partnership by Baffert, Madeline Auerbach, and the late Jack Klugman and owned by Baffert's wife Jill, Dr. Dorr was a troubled fourth behind Toews On Ice in the Bob Hope last month at Del Mar after prevailing as the favorite in his Santa Anita debut five weeks earlier.
Mor Spirit, who broke his maiden at one mile Oct. 23 at Santa Anita, was most recently runner-up in the Kentucky Jockey Club (gr. II) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs for owner Michael Petersen.
Five other possible Futurity participants include Frank Conversation, third in the grade III Cecil B. DeMille on turf Nov. 29; Hollywood Don, who was unplaced in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IT) Oct. 30; I'malreadythere, third in the Hope; and Sorryaboutnothing and Urlacher.
Both Sorryaboutnothing and Urlacher, who finished one-two in a Nov. 15 maiden race after the latter was disqualified, would have to be supplemented.
Entries for the Los Alamitos Futurity will be taken Wednesday, Dec. 16.