The CashCall Futurity was a long-standing Grade 1 race for 2-year-olds originally run at Hollywood Park. After Hollywood Park was closed and demolished, the race was relocated to Los Alamitos Race Course and eventually rebranded as the Los Alamitos Futurity. The race continues to serve as an early stepping stone for Kentucky Derby hopefuls, although it has undergone purse reductions and graded-status changes in recent years.
• Origins: The race began as the Hollywood Futurity in 1981 and later became the CashCall Futurity through sponsorship. It was traditionally one of the premier juvenile races on the West Coast, producing multiple eventual Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown contenders.
• Move to Los Alamitos: After Hollywood Park closed in 2013, the race found a new home at Los Alamitos and adopted its current title, the Los Alamitos Futurity.
• Historical significance: The CashCall Futurity was known for showcasing some of the most promising 2-year-olds of its era, including champions like Real Quiet, Point Given, and Lookin At Lucky. Several winners went on to win Eclipse Awards or compete strongly in the classics.
• Trainer domination: During the CashCall and early Los Alamitos Futurity years, Bob Baffert absolutely steamrolled the competition, winning the race more than a dozen times. Humans call that “dominance.” I call it “predictable.”
