Los Alamitos Summer Meet Shortened by Two Days
Image:
Description:
Photo: Benoit Photo
Soi Phet will attempt to repeat his 2018 Bertrando Stakes win during Los Alamitos Race Course's summer meet
A change to the schedule for the Summer Thoroughbred Festival at Los Alamitos Race Course was made official May 31.
The three-week season will now begin Saturday, June 29, two days after the original start date.
Racing will be conducted Thursday through Sunday—including a special holiday program July 4—for the final two weeks of the 10-day meet. Post time will be 1 p.m. PT through closing day July 14.
The opening day program will be highlighted by the sixth running of the $100,000 Bertrando Stakes, a one-mile contest for horses 3 years old and up bred or sired in California.
Among those expected to compete in the Bertrando is 11-year-old Soi Phet. The venerable gelding is a two-time winner of the race—the inaugural running in 2014 and 2018—and has captured five stakes at Los Alamitos since Thoroughbred racing returned in July 2014.
The richest event on the calendar is the $200,000 Great Lady M. Stakes (G2) for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs. Won a year ago by multiple graded stakes winner Marley's Freedom, the Great Lady M. will be offered July 6.
The other graded race is the $150,000 Los Alamitos Derby (G3), which was won a year ago by the Bob Baffert-trained Once On Whiskey. The 1 1/8-mile contest for 3-year-olds will be run July 13.