Los Alamitos: How to bet the Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 11

A compact, yet talented, field of five two-year-olds will vie in Saturday's $300,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G1). The 2022 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series event will reward the top-four eligible finishers with qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 basis.

Conditioner Bob Baffert, who has saddled seven consecutive winners of the race, has two prime players entered in hopes of securing his eighth straight win in the event.

Los Alamitos Wagers

• $30 exacta 4 with 3 ($30)
• $15 exacta 4 with 5 ($15)

Los Alamitos Futurity Contenders

#1 OLYMPIC LEGEND – The Luis Mendez pupil looked good in graduating second time out at Del Mar but has since been outrun in two subsequent stakes tries. Third in the restricted Capote S. on the course in September, victory for the Street Boss colt would be a surprise from the rail. Jose Valdivia, Jr. has the call.

#2 DURANTE – The Distorted Humor colt led throughout in his third assignment to get it done at Del Mar last time out. He was not especially convincing in his maiden-breaker, but he is training swiftly for Doug O'Neill and might be the one to catch in his stakes debut. Regular pilot Umberto Rispoli will be in the silks.

#3 MESSIER – The bay son of Empire Maker aced his stakes debut when rolling home a convincing winner of the Bob Hope S. (G3) most recently. Baffert puts the blinkers back on the colt after having them removed in his last offering, and he is a must use as the one to beat with Flavien Prat retaining the mount.

#4 BAROSSA – The upset pick is the less ballyhooed contender from the Baffert barn, but he has the better value. The Into Mischief colt showed steady improvement prior to being outrun late in the deep Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) most recently, but lands in a more realistic spot here. The $775,000 yearling purchase will stalk from second or third beneath Juan Hernandez.

#5 SLOW DOWN ANDY – The second from the O’Neill shedrow won on debut and followed with a smart runner-up showing in California-bred stakes ranks at Del Mar second time out. He gets a fine draw outside of the compact field, and gives the impression of a colt who will thrive with the added ground to work with in this endeavor. The chestnut son of Nyquist has the best chance to upset the Baffert duo with Mario Gutierrez riding.