Track Owner’s Filly Faces Ouster Because of Appeal

With Wayne Lukas ready to appeal to the California Horse Racing Board, Ed Allred, the owner of Los Alamitos, said Monday that he is likely to withdraw his filly, Motherless, from the $450,000 Ed Burke Memorial Futurity on July 28 because of questions surrounding her qualifying Saturday night.

Allred’s planned action would clear the way for Lukas’ horse, Bridlewood, to run in the Burke on July 28 at Los Alamitos. Based on Saturday night’s seven trials, Bridlewood’s time of 17.795 seconds for 350 yards was the 11th-fastest among 54 horses, which left him one position short of qualifying for the final.

The Allred barn qualified two horses--Motherless and Secretly Seymour--but Motherless’ fourth-fastest time of 17.67 seconds was challenged by Lukas, who felt that Motherless had left the gate prematurely. Motherless finished second to Copper Buff, whose time of 17.625 tied Blue Grass Bounce as the fastest qualifier. Blue Grass Bounce is owned by Lukas and his wife, Laura, and trained by Laura Lukas.

“It was a freak thing,” Allred said, “but my filly banged her nose on the gate just before the start, and she left there a half-length to three-quarters of a length before the others.”

The three Los Alamitos stewards conducted an inquiry into the Motherless trial before allowing the result to stand. Allred, who said that he was not involved in the stewards’ decision, said that the track has been bombarded with complaints from the public in the last two days.

“In my honest opinion, [Motherless] would have qualified anyway,” Allred said. “But I want to do what is ethical and appropriate. I probably won’t run her, and the Lukas horse can move up into the field. I want to review all this for a day or two, but I probably won’t run her. This is all most unfortunate and, because of the circumstances, very embarrassing.”

Bridlewood, who cost $315,000 as a yearling after being consigned to a sale by Allred, is owned by the Lukases and their partner, Terry Horton. The three owners have hired an attorney, Donald Calabria, who said he plans to file an appeal with the racing board today.