It’s Time for St. Nick--Handicap Races at Los Alamitos

Two divisions of the $20,000-added St. Nicholas Express Handicap will highlight the Saturday racing program at Los Alamitos. The divisions of the 300-yard Express will be the ninth and 11th of the day’s 13 races.

The two high-weights, Dashing Val and Sandy’s Love Bug (each to carry 123 pounds), have drawn into the first division, which also includes the outstanding 3-year-old Ourautograph. Dashing Val has won four of his seven starts this year, including the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Handicap in his only start at the current meet. The Blane Schvaneveldt-trained 5-year-old won the Directors Handicap here by half a length on Nov. 24, covering the 400 yards in 19.70 seconds to defeat Golden Rustler.

That victory, Dashing Val’s sixth, pushed his lifetime earnings to more than $300,000. Roman Figueroa will ride Dashing Val on Saturday.

Sandy’s Love Bug tends to be very quick getting away from the gates, an advantage in the 300-yard Express Handicap. The Rodney Hart-trained 4-year-old on Nov. 15 won the Grade I Quarter Horse Breeders Sprint Classic, covering the 350 yards in a fast 17.48 seconds. Danny Cardoza will get the ride.

Ourautograph, trained by Bob Baffert, won a division of the Garden Grove Handicap for 3-year-olds earlier this season, his fifth victory this year. Kip Didericksen will be aboard Ourautograph when he breaks from the No. 2 post.

Super De Kas, Blushing Bug, Top Fuel Doc, Maestro Gates and Mighty Easy Pass will round out the field of eight in the first division. Eight other horses, among them the much-improved Meadow Dew and Golden Rustler, will compete in the second division.