Gas Station Sushi to Restart Season in Beverly J. Lewis

After some time off following a trip to Churchill Downs in May, the lightly raced but talented Gas Station Sushi will return to the races Sept. 8 in the $75,000 Beverly J. Lewis Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course, with her connections eyeing a potential grade 1 down the line.

Trainer Richard Baltas said the 3-year-old daughter of Into Mischief  who won the Beaumont Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G3) in her sophomore debut and then finished third in the Eight Belles Stakes Presented by Kentucky Trailer (G2) will use the six-furlong Lewis to begin a race sequence that, hopefully, leads to a start in the La Brea Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park in late December.

LARUE: Gas Station Sushi Victorious in Return to Racing

"She was a little tight after the race at Churchill. She didn't come back 100%," Baltas said of the filly owned by Riley Racing Stables, Jason Tackitt, Megan Tackitt, Mike Henson, and Tiger Racing Stable. "So we gave her a light month and got her back to training at San Luis Rey (Training Center). I tried to get her back in an allowance at Del Mar, but the race didn't go.

"She can win (the Lewis), but she doesn't have to. It's not an easy spot."

Much of the field of seven 3-year-old fillies has been seasoned in graded stakes, including Steph Being Steph. The Majestic Warrior filly trained by Brian Koriner placed in the Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) and Las Virgenes Stakes (G2) behind grade 1 winners Midnight Bisou and Dream Tree, respectively, during the winter at Santa Anita, then returned from a layoff in a July allowance at Del Mar to miss by a head to another grade 1 winner, Moonshine Memories.

Rayya, who last raced to a 13th-place finish in the May 4 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), will cut back to a sprint distance in her second start for trainer Bob Baffert. Previously trained by Doug Watson in Dubai, the UAE Oaks Sponsored By Al Naboodah Construction Group (G3) winner broke her maiden sprinting in her Dec. 7 debut at Meydan and finished second sprinting Jan. 18 in the UAE One Thousand Guineas Trial Sponsored By Al Maryah Island.

Best of Me may be the most intriguing Lewis entrant dropping out of graded competition. The Peter Miller-trained Super Saver  filly faced older rivals last time out in the July 7 Great Lady M Stakes (G2) at Los Alamitos and finished fourth against the likes of top female sprinters Marley's Freedom and Skye Diamonds.

Rounding out the field is two-time California-bred stakes winner Spiced Perfection, who won a first-level optional-claiming allowance outside of the Cal-bred ranks last time out Aug. 24 at Del Mar; last-out Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) fourth Broome, whom trainer Doug O'Neill claimed for $20,000 in her previous start; and last-out allowance winner Wicked Storm, who took a six-furlong sprint by four lengths at Los Alamitos July 14.

Also on Saturday's card at Los Alamitos is the $75,000 E.B. Johnston Stakes for Cal-breds 3 and older at a mile. Eight-time stakes winner and 10-year-old Soi Phet will seek his third straight Johnston victory and sixth stakes win at Los Alamitos.

BALAN: Soi Phet Repeats in E.B. Johnston Stakes

B Squared, who came up a nose short against Soi Phet in the July 4 Bertrando Stakes at Los Alamitos, is back to challenge, but the main threat could be multiple grade 1-placed Edwards Going Left, who will stretch out to two turns for the first time Saturday.

CROSBY: Soi Phet Passes Million Mark With Second Bertrando Win

The John Sadler-trained Edwards Going Left has won his last two starts in Cal-bred stakes competition, including a six-length score over B Squared in the Jan. 27 Donald Valpredo California Cup Sprint Stakes.

Entries: Beverly J. Lewis S.

LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, Saturday, September 08, 2018, Race 8

• STK
• 6f
• Dirt
• $75,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 4:28 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Rayya (KY)	Joseph Talamo	122	Bob Baffert	2/1
2	2Wicked Storm (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	120	Tim Yakteen	8/1
3	3Broome (KY)	Evin A. Roman	118	Doug F. O'Neill	20/1
4	4Best of Me (KY)	Martin A. Pedroza	120	Peter Miller	10/1
5	5Gas Station Sushi (KY)	Mario Gutierrez	122	Richard Baltas	8/5
6	6Spiced Perfection (CA)	Tiago Josue Pereira	122	Brian J. Koriner	6/1
7	7Steph Being Steph (KY)	Stewart Elliott	122	Brian J. Koriner	5/1