From Los Alamitos Publicity
CYPRESS, Calif. (Sept. 5, 2018) – Two-time defending champion Soi Phet will seek his sixth stakes victory at Los Alamitos in the $75,000 E.B. Johnston Stakes Saturday.
The one-mile Johnston, which is for 3-year-olds & up bred or sired in California, is part of a stakes doubleheader on the third day of the Los Angeles County Fair meet. Seven 3-year-old fillies will get together in the $75,000 Beverly J. Lewis at six furlongs.
The Lewis is the eighth of nine races while the Johnston will go as the sixth. Post time Saturday is 1 p.m.
Bred by ARCHA Racing, owned by the Viskovich Family Trust, Mathilde Powell and Paul Viskovich and trained by Leonard Powell, Soi Phet won the Johnston by a half-length a year ago, the fourth of his local stakes successes. He added a fifth to his resume with a second score in the July 4 Bertrando, prevailing by a nose during the Summer Thoroughbred Festival to surpass $1 million in career earnings.
Claimed for $16,000 by his current connections more than five months ago, the 10-year-old Tizbud gelding out of the Siberian Summer mare Summer Jersey has won 15 of 60 and earned $1,021,364. He has been 1-2 in seven of nine starts at Los Alamitos.
Fourth in the Grade I Bing Crosby July 28 at Del Mar, Edwards Going Left will make his Los Alamitos debut and first start beyond seven furlongs in the Johnston.
Trained by John Sadler for Hronis Racing LLC and bred by Red Baron’s Barn & Vaya Con Suerte, the 5-year-old gelded son of Midnight Lute and the Broken Vow mare Dypsy has won seven of 13 and banked $447,390.
All of his victories have come in 12 starts since being claimed for $50,000 out of his initial start Feb. 9, 2017.
B Squared, who was edged by Soi Phet in the Bertrando two months ago, returns to dirt after finishing fifth in the Grade II Del Mar Mile Aug. 19 for trainer Doug O’Neill.
Owned by breeder J. Paul Reddam’s Reddam Racing LLC, the 5-year-old Square Eddie colt out of the Ten Most Wanted mare Silar Rules is 4-for-20 with earnings of $415,698.
Third in two previous starts at Los Alamitos, Grecian Fire also goes grass to dirt after finishing second behind Fly to Mars in the California Dreamin July 28.
A son of Unusual Heat and the Kitten’s Joy mare Maddie’s Odyssey, the 5-year-old gelding has won three of 17 and banked $190,892. Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer trains Grecian Fire for breeder/owner K M N Racing LLC.
Third in the 2017 Johnston, El Huerfano will be seeking his first win as a 7-year-old Saturday.
Trained by Peter Miller for Gary Barber and Wachtel Stable and bred by M.A. Douzos, the son of Tannersmyman and the Capsized mare Adriftinthebay is 5-for-34 with earnings of $358,141.
Unplaced in an optional claimer won by eventual Shared Belief Stakes winner Tatters to Riches, Shades of Victory will be making his first appearance in a dirt route in the Johnston.
Owned by trainer Reed Saldana and bred by C-Punch Ranch, the 5-year-old Thorn Song colt out of the Street Sense mare Sensible Girl has won four of 17 and earned $99,449. He is 1-for-4 for Saldana since being claimed for $12,500 April 7 at Golden Gate Fields.
Completing the field is Touched by Autism, who returns to Southern California after finishing last in the J.T. Grace Handicap Aug. 11 on the Santa Rosa turf.
Trained by Marcia Stortz for Johnny Taboada and bred by George & Mary Clare Schmitt, the 6-year-old Sierra Sunset horse has won seven of 25. Out of the Beau Genius mare Beau’s Gem, Touched by Autism has earned $217,765.
From inside out, the field for the E.B. Johnston Stakes: B Squared, Mario Gutierrez rides, 124 pounds; Shades of Victory, Stewart Elliott, 122; Edwards Going Left, Tyler Conner, 124; Touched by Autism, Tiago Pereira, 122; Soi Phet, Alonso Quinonez, 124; Grecian Fire, Geovanni Franco, 124 and El Huerfano, Evin Roman, 124.