Let’s just call Los Alamitos Race Track the Bob Baffert Proving Grounds.
With the $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) set for Saturday, the Hall of Fame trainer entered three 2-year-olds in a test to see whether they might be ready to move onto the 2026 Triple Crown trail.
A field of six is entered, led by Baffert’s Litmus Test (fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile), Provenance, and Blacksmith. The others in the field are Acknowledgemepls, American King and Captivator.
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Since the race was moved to the track in Cypress, California, in 2014, Baffert has sent out 23 starters: eight won the Futurity, and three ran in the Derby the following year – Dortmund (third in the 2015 Derby), Mor Spirit (10th in 2016), and Improbable (fourth in 2019).
Among other Futurity winners for Baffert (he’s going for No. 15) when the race was at Hollywood Park were Real Quiet, who went on to win the 1998 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes (G1), Point Given, who went on to win the 2001 Preakness and Belmont Stakes (G1), and Lookin At Lucky, who went on to win the 2010 Preakness.
Last year, trainer Michael McCarthy’s Journalism topped a trio of Baffert 2-year-olds, Getaway Car, Gaming, and Mellencamp. The Futurity win was no fluke as Journalism won the Preakness after finishing second in the Derby and before running second in the Belmont.
Yes, the fields are small, usually about five over the past dozen or so years, and Baffert trains many of them – three in each of the past three years. But the 1 1/16-mile distance seems to come at a good time for Baffert to begin planning the 3-year-old campaigns for his large stable of juveniles.
And, the Futurity offers 10-5-3-2-1 Derby qualifying points to the top five finishers (if there are less starters, the point totals would be awarded on a lower scale).
The final two Derby point-qualifiers for 2-year-olds are Dec. 20, the $100,000 Gun Runner Stakes at the Fair Grounds and the $300,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park.
The 2026 Kentucky Derby prep openers are Jan. 6 – the Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct and the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
All four races award Derby points of 10-5-3-2-1 to the top five finishers.
The fifth edition of the 1 1/16-mile Gun Runner drew 21 nominations, including five from trainer Brad Cox and four from trainer Kenny McPeek. With the entries for the race still a week away, possible contenders include McPeek’s Very Connected and Mesquite for trainer Cherie Deveaux. The Cox nominees are Rancho Santa Fe and White Tiger.
Last year’s Gun Runner winner was Built, who defeated four rivals.
The Springboard Mile drew 31 nominations, led by five from Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.
Among those nominated are Asmussen’s Spice Runner, winner of the Iroquois Stakes (G3) on Sept. 13 at Churchill Downs, Crown the Buckeye for trainer Mike Maker, and locals Essential Time, Royalamerican, and The Hell We Did.
Coal Battle won last year’s Springboard Mile, beating 11 rivals.
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