Friday and Saturday Spot Plays at Los Alamitos

The Los Alamitos County Fair began Thursday and all four stakes races during the 12-day meet will be conducted on Saturdays. The $75,000 E.B. Johnston, a one-mile test for California-bred three-year-olds and up, and the $75,000 Beverly J. Lewis for three-year-old fillies at six furlongs will be offered this weekend.

TwinSpires has a Los Al Bet Club promotion offering players the opportunity to qualify for bonus cash.

Here are some spot plays for Friday and Saturday:

Friday

Race 2: No wire-to-wire winners from eight races Thursday and with a pair of speedballs entered in this 5 ½-furlong test, #7 Rafter One (4-1) should receive a prime set-up to earn his first Los Al win. He exits a nice tune-up, finishing second in an 870-yard test on August 18, and the Wildcat Heir gelding has won a pair of starts at today’s 5 ½-furlong distance locally.

Race 4: Freshman sire Goldencents has been on fire with 12 winners so far and #5 Gleyber (5-2) can make it a baker‘s dozen. He showed good speed in his August 12 debut at Del Mar before weakening slightly and came back with a stiff five-furlong workout afterward for Doug O’Neill. Rafael Bejarano sticks with the bay colt and I’ll look for improvement the second time out.

Race 8: #3 Pulpit’s Dirty Red (7-2) showed nice progress finishing fifth against open rivals last time and should appreciate the drop down to the $20,000 maiden claiming level today. Even Roman sticks and the gelded son of Lucky Pulpit will figure prominently in any multi-race wagers.

Saturday

Race 3: Unraced since October, #2 Lucky Hand (6-1) returned in $50,000 maiden claimer at Del Mar on August 5 but lost all chance after breaking slowly and being forced to steady midway through the race. The four-year-old filly gained valuable fitness from the effort, though, and drops to the $20,000 level. Her BRIS numbers are good enough to prove best and Lucky Hand should show much more the second time out.

Race 5:

Race 8: Seven fillies will contest the Beverly J. Lewis and #5 Gas Station Sushi (8-5) is using this spot as a comebacker. A sharp debut scorer at Del Mar last year, the Into Mischief filly opened 2018 with a fine win in the Beaumont (G3) and will make her first appearance since finishing third against an extremely salty cast in the May 4 Eight Belles (G2). A Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) bid remains a possibility if she passes this test and I give the Richard Baltas a significant edge over her main rival, Rayya, who will make her first start for Bob Baffert since an unplaced showing in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

The 12-day Los Alamitos Thoroughbred meet is underway and TwinSpires is offering players the chance to bonus cash when you join the Los Al Bet Club! Earn up to $50 in Bonus cash during the meet when get $5 back for every $100 bet!