Los Alamitos’ big races set up well for Farias

What has been the best year of trainer Adan Farias’ career could become even better the next two nights.

A consistent winner for several years at Los Alamitos, Farias, who turned 28 on Nov. 29, is loaded in both the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity, a Grade I for 2-year-olds that will be run tonight, and the $1-million Champion of Champions, another Grade I for older horses that will be contested late Saturday night.

Second to perennial leader Paul Jones in the Los Alamitos trainer standings, Farias will be represented by morning-line favorite Fighter On Fire and My Lady First in the Two Million.

In the Champion of Champions, he will saddle 30% of the field, sending out Little Bit Of Baja, Budj and Five Bar Molly. They will be his first three starters in the 440-yard classic.

“Both of my horses for the Two Million have never been better,” Farias said. “They are training really, really well, and the same thing is true about the horses in the Champion of Champions. Everything is going our way. I have a very good feeling about these races.”

A Mexican-bred son of First Down Dash owned by Rancho El Alacran, Fighter On Fire has won four of nine but is seeking his first graded stakes victory. He narrowly missed in the Golden State Million on Nov. 2, losing by a nose to 19-1 shot Eye For Corona.

He cost himself the victory by lugging in badly throughout after breaking from post nine in a field of 10.

In his 400-yard trial for the Two Million a little more than three weeks later, Fighter On Fire, with a new bit in place, kept a straight course and won by two lengths.

“I think he is the best horse in the field,” said Farias. “It’s going to come down to racing luck.”

Farias, whose father, Adan Sr., was a trainer in Mexico, attended Cerritos College with plans on transferring to UCLA. He had designs on joining the FBI, but success in his current profession changed his path.

“Once I started working in this business, I found the money was pretty good,” he said with a laugh.

A 3-year-old gelded son of First Down Dash, Little Bit Of Baja has won two in a row since joining the Farias stable.

Owned by breeder Vessels Stallion Farm LLC and Los Bustardos LLC, Little Bit Of Baja won a trial for the Los Alamitos Super Derby at 23-1 on Oct. 20 and, although the betting public didn’t agree, proved that was no fluke with a surprise at nearly 33-1 in a very exciting final on Nov. 10. The first five finishers in the Super Derby were separated by a little more than a head.

Formerly trained by John Bassett, Little Bit Of Baja had only one win in eight starts before his recent rise to fame.

“The breeding was always there,” said Vessels Stallion Farm owner Frank “Scoop” Vessels after the Super Derby. “He was bred the way we do things down at the farm. Adan’s numbers don’t lie. He’s a very successful guy.

“After he got Little Bit Of Baja, he sent me a nice letter thanking me for sending him the horse. He’s so proud to have the horse. He is a quality act.”

Farias’ other pair in the Champion Of Champions aren’t without a shot in an extremely competitive race that also includes multiple stakes winners Blues Girl Too and Fdd Dynasty and Strawkins, the 5-2 favorite on Ed Burgart’s morning line.

Budj, a 5-year-old Count Corona gelding owned by Rodrigo Gonzalez, has won 10 of 24 and Five Bar Molly, a 9-year-old mare who will try to become the oldest winner of the race, has taken 12 of 24 for A Regal Choice, Inc.

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bob.mieszerski@latimes.com