By Bloodhorse.com
CYPRESS, Calif. (June 24, 2015) — The second summer Thoroughbred meeting at Los Alamitos Race Course begins July 2.
The eight-day meet will continue through July 12, with racing conducted on a Thursday-through-Sunday basis. Post time will be 2:15 p.m. PT.
Four stakes—including a pair of grade II races—worth more than $700,000 will be offered before the meet concludes.
The $350,000 Los Alamitos Derby (gr. II), which was won easily a year ago by Shared Belief, is the most lucrative race of the Festival. The 1 1/8-mile event for 3-year-olds will be run July 4.
BALAN: Star-Studded Group Nominated for Los Al Derby
Among the leading candidates for the Derby is Kentuckian, a talented son of Tiznow who won the Lazaro Barrera Stakes (gr. III) by 6 1/4 lengths May 10 in his most recent start at Santa Anita Park.
BALAN: Kentuckian Romps in Lazaro Barrera Victory
A winner twice in three races, Kentuckian is trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, who also conditions Shared Belief.
The other grade II on the schedule is the $200,000 Great Lady M. Stakes, which will be run July 11.
Named in honor of the multiple stakes-winning mare trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, the Great Lady M. is for fillies and mares (3-year-olds and up) at 6 1/2 furlongs. Owned and bred by Tom and Debi Stull’s Tommy Town Thoroughbreds and trained by Hollendorfer,Doinghardtimeagain won the 2014 Great Lady M.
The meet kicks off July 2 with the $75,000 Bertrando Stakes for older California-breds at a mile. The feature attraction on closing day is the inaugural running of the $75,000 Summer Juvenile Championship for 2-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs.
Track gates—including the clubhouse and Vessels Club—will open at 9:30 a.m. General parking is free with grandstand admission for $3. Grandstand admission is $2 for seniors 62 and older.
The wagering menu includes the Pick 6, a pair of Pick 4’s—races 2-5 and the final four races, which has a guaranteed pool of $200,000—as well as the Players’ Pick 5, a 50-cent minimum wager with a reduced 14% takeout rate offered on races 1-5.
Entries for opening day of the Summer Thoroughbred Festival will be drawn June 29.