Whosleavingwho Is Top Qualifier, Just Misses Record
Making his first start as a 5-year-old, Whosleavingwho picked up where he left off in 2002.
The co-world champion who wrapped up his year with a decisive win in the Champion of Champions almost two months ago, Whosleavingwho was the fastest qualifier for the $206,000 Los Alamitos Winter Championship on Friday night.
Not only did the Chicks Beduino gelding win his trial by 2 1/2 lengths, he came within .04 of a second of the track record for 400 yards. Ridden by Joe Badilla Jr., he covered the distance in 19.38 seconds, just off the mark of 19.34 set by Takin on The Cash more than 12 years ago.
Besides Whosleavingwho, who will be a solid favorite in the Winter Championship on March 1, the other nine qualifiers from a total of three trials were: Kiptys First Dash, Agouti, Bobcat Bob, Harley Man, Takin On Spoon Man, Royal N Rowdy, Chicks Rapidash, Miami Cartel and Chiarascuro.
The winner of the Winter Championship earns the first of eight automatic berths to the Champion of Champions on Dec. 13.
The picks: 1. Costly Chic. 2. Meter Us Gold. 3. Pritzi Too. 4. Runningwiththewind. 5. The Triple Crown. 6. Direct Investment. 7. Miss Curley Lite. 8. Solar Dash. 9. Sulton’s Glass.
Four! Use Northern Sleet, Siward and Direct Investment in the sixth, Miss Curley Lite and Chrom Illusion in the seventh, Solar Dash and Go Green Go in the eighth and El Aguilio and Sulton’s Glass in the ninth.
Shots in the dark: Mongooselightningbug could improve in her second after a layoff in the second. Blushing Blake drops to his claimed level in the fifth.
Post time: 5:30 p.m.
On the Net: For entries and results from Los Alamitos, visit: www.latimes.com/horseracing/