From Los Alamitos Publicity
CYPRESS, Calif. (June 30, 2018) – Fresh off a 47-1 upset in the Crystal Water Stakes in his third start as a 10-year-old, Soi Phet will seek a fifth stakes victory at Los Alamitos in the $100,000 Bertrando, the main event on a special holiday program Wednesday, July 4.
A one-mile event for 3-year-olds & up bred or sired in California, the Bertrando is the eighth of nine races. Post time is 1 p.m.
Trained by Leonard Powell for the Benowitz Family Trust, Mathilde Powell and Paul Viskovich, Soi Phet, the son of Tizbud and the Siberian Summer mare Summer Jersey has won 14 of 58 and banked $955,250. Most of those earnings have come since he was claimed for $16,000 by his current connections May 23, 2013 at Hollywood Park.
A second score in Wednesday’s stakes will make Soi Phet, who has been 1-2 in six of eight races at Los Alamitos, a millionaire. He was bred by ARCHA Racing.
Besides the inaugural Bertrando in 2014, the other local victories for the gelding are the Los Alamitos Mile (2014) and the E.B. Johnson Stakes (2016-2017).
Magic Mark, who posted an 11-1 upset in the 2015 Bertrando, enters off consecutive runner-up finishes, the latest when defeated by three=quarters of a length by Sorry Erik in an optional claimer May 24 at Santa Anita.
Owned by breeders John and Dorine Lanza and trained by Ron Ellis, the 8-year-old gelded son of Benchmark and the Deputy Governor mare Jewel Magic has won six of six and earned $397,059.
B Squared stretches out and goes turf to dirt after finishing fourth in the Siren Lure Stakes on the hillside in Arcadia June 17.
Trained by Doug O’Neill for owner-breeder J. Paul Reddam’s Reddam Racing LLC, the 4-year-old Square Eddie colt out of the Ten Most Wanted mare Silar Rules is 4-for-17 and has banked $373,698. Two of those wins have come in nine starts on dirt.
Continental Divide returns to the main after a troubled journey in the Snow Chief Stakes on turf June 2 as he seeks to end a seven-race losing streak.
Bred by PT Syndicate #1 and owned by D P Racing and trained by Jim Cassidy, the Animal Kingdom colt out of the Dixieland Band mare Bandora hasn’t won since breaking his maiden in the Graduation Stakes about 11 months ago at Del Mar. The 3-year-old has earned $105,395 in nine races.
Grecian Fire returns to Southern California for owner-breeder K M N Racing and Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer after four starts at Golden Gate Fields.
The 4-year-old Unusual Heat gelding out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Maddie’s Odyssey rallied to finish third when 10-1 in the Grade III All American over Tapeta in his most recent outing May 28.
Grecian Fire, who finished third in his career debut going 5 ½ furlongs Dec. 11, 2016 at Los Alamitos, did break his maiden on dirt at the Bertrando distance Feb. 18, 2017.
Taman Guard returns to the scene of his easy debut triumph and stretches out in his second start for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella.
Bred by John Perrotta & E. Mercaldo and owned by a partnership that includes Jim Rome’s Jungle Racing LLC, KMN Racing, LNJ Foxwoods, Black Duck Racing and Alex Solis II, the 5-year-old Midnight Lute gelding finished sixth of seven in the Albany Stakes on turf June 9 at Golden Gate.
Out of the Deputy Minister mare Bellastrega, Taman Guard had been idle for nearly 10 months prior to that performance, so he could improve. He’s won three of nine and earned $145,600. He finished last after setting the pace in the 2017 Bertrando captured by Ambitious Brew in his penultimate race for Hollendorfer.
Make It a Triple will make a rare start around two turns after finishing second in an optional claimer at seven furlongs June 9 for Radar Rob Racing and trainer Keith Craigmyle.
The consistent Misremembered gelding, bred by Richard Barton Enterprises, has earned $129,690 while winning four of 17.
The 5-year-old out of the Level Sands mare Thunder Sands hasn’t tried eight furlongs since finishing third in a $40,000 maiden contest for California breds May 21, 2017 when trained by Mike Machowsky.
Grazen Sky will attempt to snap a 14-race losing streak as he stretches out and moves to dirt for Jeff Cissell and trainer Bob Hess, Jr.
A 6-year-old gelded son of Grazen and the Sky Mesa mare Sky Marni and bred by Nick Alexander, Grazen Sky has four wins in 30 attempts and a bankroll of $457,092. His last win came July 15, 2016 at Del Mar when trained by Steve Miyadi.
Acceptance has lost 14 of 15 since beginning his career with three consecutive victories, including a three-length decision as the prohibitive favorite in the King Glorious Stakes during the 2014 Winter meet.
Trained by Kenny Black for Finish Line Racing LLC and the Ellwood Johnston Trust, Acceptance, a 6-year-old Vronsky horse out of the Perfect Mandate mare Allswellthatnswell and bred by Old English Rancho, is 4-for-18 with earnings of $405,838.
From inside out, the field for the 5th Bertrando Stakes: Taman Guard, Joe Talamo rides, 119 pounds; Soi Phet, Alonso Quinonez, 124; Magic Mark, Martin Garcia, 119; Acceptance, Stewart Elliott, 119; Make It a Triple, Rafael Bejarano, 119; B Squared, Mario Gutierrez, 124; Grecian Fire, William Antongeorgi III, 119; Grazen Sky, Evin Roman, 119 and Continental Divide, Santiago Gonzalez, 115.