Preview: The final day of the meet. The turf rails are at zero and the course should play fair for all. Monday is a normal main track renovation day but not sure what they will do before the final races. It has been cooler weather which usually favors speed.
Thanks to everyone who has read my blog. I started off hot the first two weeks and then went into a 5-week slump. Sorry, but we always learn from our mistakes so hopefully the fall meet will be better. I’m taking the first week of Los Alamitos off, but will provide horses the second and third weeks of that meet.

Race 1: 1. #5 Cougar Country (15-1), 2. Nextdoorneighbor, 3. Alltheleavesrbrown. LONG SHOT: Secret Command.
Trainer Chris Hartman is an amazing 55% when he drops a horse off the claim and he’s 27% first off the claim. He must be looking for shipping money. Chantal Sutherland takes the mount over the apprentice.

Race 2: 1. #5 Aagbii (5-1), 2. Warrioress, 3. Chocolate Goddess. LONG SHOT: Love Winning.
Trainer Alfredo Marquez only has 27 starters on the year but once upon a time he could really train. This filly may have tipped her hand in her latest workout. The sire Run Away and Hide gets 11% winners first time out.

Race 3: 1. Mrazek, 2. Kafister, 3. Iron Rob. LONG SHOT: Clever Royal.

Race 4: 1. #7 Shy (12-1), 2. Ciao Bella Rosa, 3. Memories Galore. LONG SHOT: Jeanjeannie.
Trainer Vann Belvoir doesn’t have great numbers first-timers or on the grass, but this is a daughter of Kitten’s Joy, which gets 16% first-time out on the turf. Jockey Gary Stevens sees enough to ride her.

Race 5: 1. Klimt, 2. Straight Fire, 3. Chasing Aces. LONG SHOT: Midnight Pleasure.

Race 6: 1. #9 Westwood’s Wizard (8-1), 2. Dark Energy, 3. Defiantly. LONG SHOT: Flash of Thunder.
The outside post keeps this from being a 5* pick. This colt comes out of a key race and he stumbled at the start and still finished fourth. Trainer Scott Hansen is 50% (4 for 8) with first-time turfers and the sire Hard Spun gets 10% first time turf.

Race 7: 1. #5 Banze No Oeste (15-1), 2. Saint Dermot, 3. Ain’t Misbehavin. LONG SHOT: Bollywood.
This horse tries dirt for the first time after 12 straight on the grass. He comes out of a key race, where he finished fourth in a key race. Trainer Peter Miller has seen enough in the mornings to give the dirt a try. Miller is also 21% second time Lasix.

Race 8: 1. Noble Dancer, 2. With Honors, 3. Auntjenn. LONG SHOT: You Missed It.

Race 9: 1. Big Gray Rocket, 2. Predict, 3. Antioch. LONG SHOT: Harrovian.

Race 10: 1. #5 Bronzino (7-2) BEST BET, 2. Fin de Semaine, 3. Foray. LONG SHOT: Lamaan.
This has been a break out meet for jockey Flavien Prat, who will likely win the riding title and is much the best rider on the grass in SoCal. Prat jumps back on this gelding who is taking a drop in class after finishing a close up third at this level earlier in the meet.

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