Racing! Los Alamitos signs off and Del Mar is ready to go

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we get ready to go to a five-day-a-week race schedule.

Los Alamitos finished its slightly longer summer meet on Sunday after running for 11 ¼ days. The fraction was the card that was cancelled after two races because of extreme heat. Last year, this meeting was eight days.

By most accounts, the meet was successful. The average all sources handle was up more than 4% over last year. Now, the number of people on track was never really robust, although the final figures were not released.

“Comparisons between the two meets are difficult because they were of different lengths, although we did have six races cancelled,” F. Jack Liebau, vice president of the Los Alamitos Racing Association, said in a statement. “In hindsight, I wish we could have been able to fill some of the higher quality races, but a lot of small owners and trainers got the opportunity to successfully run horses here that they might not have otherwise.’’

There were three stakes races but most of the cards were filled with lower-level claiming races and most all the races were either around five furlongs or a mile. Los Alamitos does not have a turf course.

The track will return with its next thoroughbred meeting on Sept. 6 when it runs the Los Angeles County Fair meeting. It runs until Sept. 23.

Pari-mutuel strike update

There’s the threat of a mutuel-clerk strike for opening day at Del Mar on Wednesday. Obviously, this would be serious. As I’ve said before, as an editor who usually handled stories on labor negotiations, things never get settled until they absolutely have to. So, I’m guessing you’ll see some kind of agreement on Monday or possibly Tuesday.

At the center of the negotiations is mandatory staffing levels. The tracks want the flexibility to have huge staffing on big days and minimal staffing on an average weekday. The union wants the staffing floor to be high.

The Stronach Group won a very big victory last week when they essentially threw down the gauntlet for a change in their contract with brick and mortar satellite facilities. While discussing the agreement that was to be signed, it became fuzzy as to who the clerks would be working for—the track or the umbrella satellite wagering company. There was no clear answer with the hint that it could be both.

No doubt, TSG is trying to remake California racing and is going to use a take-no-prisoners approach. So, with that in mind, the guess here is that when an agreement is reached on the impending strike, it will only be with Del Mar and possibly Los Alamitos. TSG is not looking for a quick-fix deadline deal.

The bottom line is that if you go to opening day at Del Mar there will be clerks. The lines will be long and the traffic will back up, but that’s the feel of every opening day at Del Mar. And, of course, there will be he hats. So, no need to worry.

More Del Mar

They’ve already drawn races for Wednesday’s Del Mar opener and no race has less than nine horses in it. Wow. There were 111 horses entered for 104 spots. Five of the races were oversubscribed. That’s a good start. If you want to read more, see Jeff Nahill’s story in the San Diego Union-Tribune. (just click here)

As we go through the Del Mar meet, we will often point you to our media partner (same ownership), the Union-Tribune. They will have the best coverage. We’ll also weigh in from time to time but if you need your daily fix that’s the place to go.

Los Alamitos thoroughbred review

The feature on Sunday was a maiden special weight won by Media Tone, who won by ½ length over Colonel Power. Media Tone paid $14.80, $4.40 and $2.80.

Asa Espinoza and Heriberto Figueroa shared the jockey title with 12 wins each. Bob Baffert won the training title with five wins.

Big races review

A look at graded stakes or races worth more $100,000 or more on Sunday.

Belmont: $100,000 Lynbrook Stakes, NY-bred fillies 2 years old, 6 furlongs. Winner: Maiden Beauty ($47.60)

Woodbine: Grade 3 $125,000 Ontario Matron Stakes, fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles. Winner: Gamble’s Ghost ($6.50)

Lone Star: $100,000 Texas Futurity, fillies 2 years old, 5 furlongs. Winner: Adventurous Lady ($3.80)

Lone Star: $100,000 Texas Futurity, 2 year olds, 5 furlongs. Winner: Wakefield ($5.80)

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 johnacherwa@gmail.com or feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa.

Now, here is the star of the show, Sunday’s results. See you on Wednesday.

BIG IMPRESSION saved ground stalking the pace, moved up inside in the stretch, was in tight off heels a furlong out, came out for room, surged to the front a sixteenth out and won clear under urging. MY LITTLE FAT BOY stalked outside a rival then between foes on the turn and in the stretch, was tight when boxed in passing the furlong marker then split foes late for the place. FLASHY SHAQ reluctant to load, broke a bit awkwardly then bobbled, settled off the rail, chased three deep on the turn and into the stretch and got up for third four wide on the line. JUST HIT PLAY had good early speed and dueled inside, fought back along the rail in the stretch and was edged late for the show. ROMOLINA angled in and dueled outside a rival, took a short lead in the stretch and was edged for a minor award between foes late. POPPY'S C NOTE broke behind the field, raced greenly without early speed, angled in and saved ground and was outrun.

KEYSON broke outward, stalked off the rail, came out in upper stretch, bid outside the runner-up, drifted in then out from the whip in the final furlong but gamely prevailed late. FELLOW CITIZEN stalked outside the winner, bid alongside the pacesetter on the turn, took the lead in the stretch, drifted to the inside in the final furlong but fought back to the end. RED CLEM broke in and bumped a rival, chased just off the rail, came three wide into the stretch, drifted in and gained the show. MR BINGLEY sped to the early lead, set the pace a bit off the rail then inside, dueled on the turn and into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. BOISTEROUS BOY bumped a the break, saved ground chasing the pace, came out into the stretch and also weakened.

THANKFUL EVERY DAY had speed four wide then inched away on the backstretch, set the pace off the rail and drew away in the stretch under urging. LOVE YOUR LIFE stalked the winner between horses then inside on the turn, continued along the rail in the stretch and gained the place. ROCK N DOC between horses early, stalked three deep then outside a rival on the turn and in the stretch and bested the others. CONFIRMED bobbled at the break, chased off the rail then outside a rival on the turn and three deep into the stretch and lacked a rally. GRACIAS TOM steadied between horses early, angled in and saved ground chasing the pace and did not rally. FANCY TERRACE sent inside early, saved ground stalking the pace, came out into the stretch and weakened.

KATZUMOTO chased off the rail, swung four wide into the stretch, rallied under urging to the front in deep stretch and inched away. CAPTAIN N. BARRON dueled between horses then off the rail into the stretch, inched away past midstretch but could not hold off the winner. HOLLYWOOD SKY had good early speed and dueled four wide to the stretch, fought back in upper stretch and just held third. COASTAL EDDY lunged and bobbled some in a bit of an awkward start, settled off the rail, came out some in the stretch and was edged for the show. SONIC BOY went up inside to duel for the lead, fought back on the turn, fell back some into the stretch and weakened. THE TATTOO KID dueled three deep between horses to the stretch, fell back some and drifted in at the eighth pole and also weakened. IMPEACHMENT ACE chased outside the winner then off the rail on the turn, came five wide into the stretch and also weakened.

SOUTHERN TREASURE stalked off the rail then a bit off the fence on the turn, came out into the stretch, bid outside the runner-up under urging, gained the lead in deep stretch and gamely prevailed. PROPHETINPARADISE sped to the early lead, set the pace off the inside, fought back inside the winner in the final furlong and continued willingly to the wire. TIGER MOM chased off the inside, came a bit wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. FOXY FRESH turned her head then reared at the break to be away behind the field, settled off the rail to the stretch and failed to menace. The stewards conducted an inquiry into the start before ruling FOXY FRESH was the cause of her own trouble.

MEDIA TONE chased just off the rail, came out in upper stretch, angled in a sixteenth out, bid between foes under urging to gain the lead in deep stretch and gamely prevailed. COLONEL POWER dueled three deep to the stretch, took a short lead outside a rival in the drive, was three wide in deep stretch and could not hold off the winner. FIFTYEIGHT SPECIAL stalked early then bid between horses to duel for the lead, fought back a bit off the rail in the drive and bested the others. SHAKEN MEMORIES stalked outside a rival then off the rail into and on the turn, came out four wide into the stretch, drifted inward in the final furlong and weakened. BABY ICE had good early speed and dueled inside, fought back on the turn and into the stretch, then weakened.

NORTH COUNTY GUY stalked off the rail then three deep on the turn, came four wide into the stretch, bid four wide under left handed urging, gained the lead past the eighth pole and gamely prevailed. TOWARDS THE LIGHT dueled three deep between horses then three wide into and on the turn and into the stretch, took a short lead between foes a furlong out, fought back inside the winner in deep stretch but could not quite match that one late. CHRISISCOOKIN had good early speed and dueled inside, fought back a bit off the rail in the stretch and held third. CINCO DE MARIO dueled between horses to the stretch, fought back in upper stretch but weakened in the final furlong. BIG BAD BATMAN stalked a bit off the rail then inside on the turn and in the stretch and lacked a rally. BIG ENERGY pressed the pace four wide on the backstretch, stalked outside into the turn, angled in a bit off the rail on the turn and weakened in the drive.

NEW KARMA stalked off the rail then outside on the turn, came five wide into the stretch, rallied under urging to bid outside the runner-up in deep stretch, gained the lead and gamely prevailed. FORT LEWIS RIVERS had good early speed and dueled inside, inched away and came off the rail into the stretch, fought back inside the winner in deep stretch but could not quite match that one late. ADRIATIC SON dueled between horses then outside the runner-up, was fanned three deep into the stretch and edged a rival for the show. DEVILS INFORMER broke out and steadied, stalked a bit off the rail then inside on the turn and in the stretch and was edged for third. VODKA TEXTED YOU hopped in a slow start, saved ground chasing the pace, came out in midstretch and lacked a rally. MOOSE ON THE LOOSE prompted the pace three deep then stalked outside a rival on the turn, came four wide into the stretch and weakened.

ARTISTIC AB dueled between horses then outside the runner-up, had that one slip away a furlong out then came back on under urging to get up. RAINDANCE RULES had good early speed and dueled inside, inched away at the eighth pole, fought back in deep stretch but was edged on the line. E BRADLEY COOPER pressed the pace three deep then stalked off the rail on the turn, came three wide into the stretch and bested the others. DAPPER DIXIE stumbled at the start, saved ground chasing the pace, came out into the stretch and lacked a rally. GRAND MINISTER hesitated momentarily to be away slowly, chased inside, moved up along the rail leaving the turn and into the stretch but could not sustain the bid in the drive. RAW DIAMOND stalked off the rail, angled in on the turn, came out three deep into the stretch and weakened. COPPER COATED settled off the rail, angled to the inside on the turn, came out into the stretch and did not rally. MYSTIC GREY stalked outside then three deep on the turn, came four wide into the stretch and weakened.