Alexita, Just Kidding meet softer foes Thursday

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. – Alexita and Just Kidding will drop in class Thursday at Los Alamitos, even if the easier company is not entirely conspicuous in the printed past performances.

The filly Alexita makes her California debut in race 2, a starter allowance sprint. The colt Just Kidding runs in race 5, a maiden special weight route. Those two are key entrants Thursday on a sleepy card as Los Alamitos enters closing week of its two-week summer meet.

Alexita was purchased privately by Rockingham Ranch after her runner-up finish in an allowance at Parx last out. While her 79 Beyer Speed Figure tops the field she meets Thursday, a better indication of her ability was the Parx competition she ran so well against. It was not an ordinary one-other-than.

The winner, Discreet Senorita, was taking her third straight; third-place Love Came to Town finished third again, and then won two allowance races at Monmouth; sixth-place Capar Girl returned to win twice, including a $75,000 stakes; and last-place Any Valid Saturday won a claiming race next out.

Since arriving in California, Alexita has posted four works at San Luis Rey Downs.

Just Kidding finished third last out in a maiden special weight race. His recent foes were above average. The winner of his last race, Whiskey Ticket, came back to win the Grade 3 Illinois Derby, and fourth-place Smart Transition won a fast maiden race and later finished fourth in the Grade 3 Dwyer.

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ALLOWANCE (RACE 2)

KEY CONTENDERS

Alexita (Last 3 Beyers: 79-69-51)

◗ Peter Miller is the new trainer for Alexita; Miller has won with two his last three domestic shippers that were new to his barn.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past three years, Miller and jockey Joe Talamo, who rides Alexita on Thursday, are 8 for 21 with sprint favorites.

Exposure (Last 3 Beyers: 66-30-66)

◗ The $40,000 maiden-claiming win last out by Exposure was validated when third-place Tiz Sweet Bliss returned to win a maiden special weight.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Martin Garcia, who rides Exposure on Thursday, are 12 for 25 with last-out maiden winners running back in Southern California dirt sprints.

Annisquam (Last 3 Beyers: 58-51-41)

◗ The last-out maiden-claiming win by Annisquam was flattered, to a small degree, when the fourth- and fifth-place finishers returned to win.

MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT (RACE 5)

KEY CONTENDERS

Just Kidding (Last 3 Beyers: 84-79-52)

◗ Rafael Bejarano will ride Just Kidding, who is making his seventh start in this mile dirt race.

◗ The colt’s two most-recent starts were dirt routes; they were the best of his career.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, trainer Peter Eurton is 9 for 22 with dirt-route favorites.

Attack (Last 3 Beyers: 71-76-78)

◗ Rafael DeLeon claimed Attack two starts back for $40,000. He lost as the favorite last out on turf and returns Thursday to dirt.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, DeLeon is 0 for 31 with maiden special weight starters.