Las Damas Headlines Los Alamitos Tonight

The top fillies and mares on the grounds will compete in two divisions of the Las Damas Handicap tonight at Los Alamitos. The Las Damas is the filly and mare championship race during the winter season and was split into divisions when a total of 18 horses was entered.

A field of nine will go postward in each division.The races will be the ninth and 11th on the 13-race program.

Lil Bit Rusty and Isaws Sugar Bear will renew their rivalry in the first division. The pair have met three times in California and New Mexico with Isaws Sugar Bear winning two races and Lil Bit Rusty victorious once.

Isaws Sugar Bear won the Buttons And Bows Stakes in New Mexico and the $30,000 Champion Of Champions trial at Los Alamitos with Lil Bit Rusty finishing second and third respectively in those races. Lil Bit Rusty defeated Isaws Sugar Bear in the Grade I Quarter Horse Breeders Distaff Classic at Los Alamitos on November 17.

In all, Lil Bit Rusty had an outstanding year in 1990 while racing in New Mexico and California, winning five of 15 starts and earning $89,835. John Creager has ridden Lil Bit Rusty to three winning efforts at the current meet and will be aboard again tonight.

Isaws Sugar Bear won eight of her 11 starts in 1990 and was second in two other races with only the trouble-filled Champion Of Champions race her only off the board effort. In that one she finished eighth, but was moved to seventh on a disqualification. Steve Treasure will ride Isaws Sugar Bear, who will carry 122 pounds.

In the second division, Tempered Glass looks like the odds-on choice. The Blane Schvaneveldt-trained daughter of Streakin Six wrapped up a strong 1990 campaign with victories in the Grade II Quarter Horse Breeders Sophomore Classic and the Lowell Dillingham Handicap, both over the local course.

Regular rider Bruce Pilkenton will be aboard Tempered Glass who has won eight of her 15 lifetime starts.