Racing! L.A., buckle up for a second star named LeBron

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as I ponder if others find the hot-dog eating contest as disgusting as I do?

OK, I’ll state it up front, The Times is leaving no rock unturned when it comes to finding new and different stories about LeBron James. As a dutiful product of the Times umbrella of journalistic greatness, this newsletter (bet you never thought you’d see this newsletter in the same sentence with the word “greatness”) has found a new LeBron angle.

It comes in the form of a 2-year-old who is hanging out with the folks at Team O’Neill at Santa Anita (and soon to be Del Mar). Dennis O’Neill discovered the colt at 2-year-old in training sale in May, Doug O’Neill is going to train him, and Phoenix Thoroughbred paid $1.2 million for the privilege of buying him.

Everyone says he was bought with the first Saturday in May in mind, but, if you know anything about horse racing, you know it’s way too early to start thinking that its early to start thinking about the Derby. (It makes sense if you can untangle that sentence.) He hopes to make his debut at Del Mar in early August.

Want to read how this all came to be. We have a story on our website. Just click here.

Now, before we get to Wednesday’s stakes race at Los Alamitos, remember there is no racing today. Racing returns on Friday.

Who goofed, I’ve got to know?

First off, apologies to Jose Contreras for my error on his Sunday pick. He had chosen Queen Shelley Ann but she scratched at Los Alamitos. However, when coming up with her finish, I pulled up her last start at Santa Anita. My fault, completely. (I guess one day of vacation didn’t fix things.)

Bertrando Stakes review

It seems fitting that on a day in which the age of country is celebrated that the oldest horse in the race, heck, in just about any race, any time, any place, won the featured $100,000 Bertrando Stakes for Cal-breds going a mile.

The win for Soi Phet was razor-thin, beating B Squared by a nose. It was the gelding’s (like we needed to tell you that for a 10-year-old horse still running) second straight stakes win and 15^th win in 58 starts. The win made Soi Phet a millionaire, pushing him just over that milestone in purses.

He paid $9.60, $4.00 and $2.40. Grecian Fire finished third.

“He has such a big heart,” winning trainer Leonard Powell told Bob Mieszerski of Los Alamitos. “I wasn’t sure he had won. Even watching the replay I wasn’t sure. It was the kind of trip we hoped he would get. Financially it means a lot ($1 million in career earnings), but, honestly, for the horse it doesn’t mean anything because to me he has always been worth a million dollars and more. I’m very proud of what he’s been able to accomplish.”

Alonso Quinonez was the winning jockey. Soi Phet also won this race in 2014.

Final thought

Still looking to jump the circulation of this newsletter. Can’t beat the price. If you like it, tell someone. If you don’t like it, then you’re probably not reading this. Either way, send to a friend and just have them click here and sign up. Remember, it’s free, and all we need is your email, nothing more.

Any thoughts, drop me an email at my new address johnacherwa@gmail.com or feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa

And now the star of the show, Wednesday’s results.

DOWNSIDE UP stalked off the rail, bid four wide on the turn, took the lead into the stretch, inched away under urging in midstretch and won clear. ROYAL SEEKER chased off the rail, came out four wide into the stretch and gained the place. WORKING dueled three deep then three wide between horsed on the turn and into the stretch, put a head in front in upper stretch, continued three wide and held third. GOING AWAY PARTY had good early speed and dueled between horses, fought back between foes on the turn and in the stretch, continued between rivals in the drive and was outfinished for the show. LATITUDE had speed inside and dueled along the rail to the stretch and weakened. MAGO BLANCO hesitated to be away slowly, settled off the rail then outside, came five wide into the stretch and had little left for the drive.

REGULATE six wide into the first turn, angled in and chased off the rail, came three wide into the stretch, bid three deep to gain the lead past the eighth pole and gamely prevailed under left handed urging. PLEASANT D'ORO four wide on the first turn, stalked three deep, bid outside the pacesetter into the stretch, battled between foes through the final furlong and held second. STONEGATE three deep into the first turn, dueled, inched away off the rail on the backstretch, fought back into the stretch, drifted in and battled back in the final furlong and also continued willingly late. LITTLEBITAMEDAL five wide into the first turn, stalked off the rail then four wide on the backstretch, continued outside on the second turn and three deep into the stretch and weakened. FRIENDLY OUTTHEDOR stalked inside then between horses on the backstretch and a bit off the rail on the second turn, continued alongside a rival into the stretch and also weakened. COLD BREW KID had speed between horses then stalked inside on the backstretch and second turn, cut the corner into the stretch and also weakened.

ROCKY'S SHOW sped to the early lead, set the pace inside, dueled on the turn, came off the rail into the stretch, fought back inside the runner-up under left handed urging through the drive and held gamely. MASON B stalked a bit off the rail, bid outside the winner on the turn and through a long drive and continued gamely to the wire. LOUDEN'S GRAY broke in the air and slowly, chased inside, came out in upper stretch and held third. DEVILS INFORMER chased off the rail, split horses leaving the turn, came three deep into the stretch and was outfinished for the show. EL KOREANO a bit slow to begin, chased off the rail then outside a rival, came four wide into the stretch and lacked a rally. ADRIATIC SON stalked outside a rival then three deep on the turn and into the stretch and weakened.

KATIELEIGH sped to the early lead off the rail, dueled outside a rival, inched away under left handed urging in the stretch, kicked clear and held. BELLAFINA stalked the pace inside, came out into the stretch and again in upper stretch, drifted out some in the final furlong and continued willingly to be second best. KEEPER OFTHE STARS between foes early, chased outside a rival on the backstretch and turn, came three deep into the stretch and clearly bested the others. POINT RECEIVED angled in and chased outside a rival then off the rail nearing the stretch and weakened in the drive. CASH OFFER a step slow to begin, went between horses early then dueled inside, fought back on the turn and had little left for the stretch. PABLO'S DREAM angled in and saved ground chasing the pace, continued inside on the turn and in the stretch and gave way.

PLUM DANDY had speed a bit off the rail, ducked out and bumped a rival into the first turn, dueled three deep between foes then a bit off the rail on the second turn, battled outside the runner-up through the stretch and inched away late under urging. RUN LIKE RHETT saved ground pressing then stalking the pace, bid inside in the stretch, fought back through the drive but could not quite match the winner late. PAPPOU had speed three wide then was bumped and steadied sharply into the first turn, bid four wide on the backstretch and three deep on the second turn, came four wide into the stretch and held third. RALIS between horses early, was bumped soundly into the first turn, dueled three deep between foes to the stretch and weakened. SUNNY KAT chased outside a rival then bid between horses to duel on the backstretch, dropped back a bit off the rail on the second turn and also weakened.

SO I SANG dueled inside, came off the rail into the stretch, fought back under urging while drifting in through final furlong and gamely prevailed, then was unsaddled at the end of the clubhouse turn and vanned off. A LITTLE UNRULY chased outside, came five wide into the stretch, bid outside the winner in the final furlong and continued willingly. COLONEL POWER dueled between horses then outside the winner, was fanned out a bit into the stretch and held third. NOW BLESSED had speed between foes then stalked a bit off the rail, continued inside on the turn and into the stretch and weakened. SUSPICIOUS SPOUSE dueled between horses then stalked outside a rival, came out four wide into the stretch and lacked the needed response in the lane. JADE DEE chased off the rail on the backstretch and turn, swung four wide into the stretch and did not rally. GRANDMA NETA broke slowly, saved ground off the pace, continued inside on the turn and in the stretch and was not a threat.

OUR SILVER OAK stalked inside then a bit off the rail, came three deep into the stretch, rallied under urging three wide to gain the lead in deep stretch and won clear. OLIVER had speed three deep then dueled outside a rival, took the lead in the stretch, inched away toward the inside but could not hold off the winner. PEEDIE stalked outside, went four wide on the turn, bid four wide into the stretch and bested the others. FEELING STRONG stalked between horses on the backstretch and turn, came three deep into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. THREE AY EM squeezed at the start, angled in and settled inside, came out around a rival in midstretch and improved position. KING CHARLIE chased outside, went four wide on the turn and into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. STARRING JOHN WAIN stalked the pace inside to the stretch, went around a rival past midstretch and could not summon the necessary late response. MR BINGLEY sent along four wide then stalked the pace, went three deep on the turn, bid three wide between horses into the stretch and weakened. NICE HAIRCUT chased between horses then three deep on the turn and four wide into the stretch and did not rally. TESTIMONY dueled inside, fought back on the turn and into the stretch, dropped back in midstretch and weakened.

SOI PHET stalked the pace inside, came out some in the stretch, split rivals under urging in deep stretch to gain the lead a sixteenth out and gamely prevailed. B SQUARED angled in and stalked outside a rival, came four wide into the stretch, took a short lead outside the pacesetter a furlong out, was three deep in late stretch and continued gamely. GRECIAN FIRE chased a bit off the rail then inside, came out three wide into the stretch and finished well. GRAZEN SKY three deep into the first turn, chased off the rail, came five wide into the stretch and rallied in the drive to be edged for the show. TAMAN GUARD sped to the early lead, set the pace inside, fought back along the rail in the final furlong and weakened late. MAKE IT A TRIPLE three wide early, angled in and stalked outside a rival, came three wide into the stretch and lacked a rally. CONTINENTAL DIVIDE four wide into the first turn, chased outside or off the rail, came four wide into the stretch and lacked a further response. MAGIC MARK stalked the pace a bit off the rail to the stretch, gave way readily in the drive and was eased but walked off.

CATFISH HUNTER chased between horses then off the rail on the turn, rallied under left handed urging to the front in deep stretch and proved best. HARDCORE TROUBADOR dueled outside a rival, kicked clear on the turn, remained clear under urging in the stretch but could not hold off the winner late. JOE JACKSON chased six wide on the backstretch and five wide into and out of the turn and bested the others. WILL TELL settled off the rail, went four wide on the turn and into the stretch and was outfinished. RINSE AND REPEAT chased between horses on the backstretch and turn, came out into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. FIRE TO THE WIRE five wide early, stalked four wide between foes, angled in leaving the turn and lacked the necessary late kick. RED WINE AND DINE had good early speed and dueled inside, stalked on the turn, came out into the stretch and weakened. SUNSET SEVEN chased between horses then inside on the turn and into the stretch and also weakened. MORGAN S. stalked between foes then off the rail leaving the turn, came four wide into thee stretch and also weakened. NOVA had speed inside then fell back leaving the backstretch, steadied in tight into the turn, came out into the stretch and had little left for the drive. QUARTER AND HALF MILE HAND TIMED.