Ballast Point heavy favorite in 870-yard allowance

Ballast Point would have been favored if he had started in Saturday’s $20,000 Wheatland Handicap at 870 yards at Los Alamitos.

With an $18,000 allowance race at 870 yards available on Sunday’s program, trainer Paul Jones waited an additional day. Ballast Point will now be a heavy favorite.

“The allowance race is worth $18,000 and it’s half as tough,” Jones said on Friday morning. “It might work out pretty good.”

Owned by Jones and Terry Thompson, Ballast Point has won 3 of 5 starts at 870 yards, including a two-length win in an allowance race in 44.20 seconds on Feb. 23. The final time was the fastest at the distance at Los Alamitos since Snowbound Superstar was timed in 44.02 seconds in 2006.

Jones trained Snowbound Superstar, the champion distance horse of 2006 and 2007. Ballast Point could contend for the same title this year.

The 870-yard allowance race does not have any restricted conditions and is the last of 10 races on a program that begins at 9 p.m. Eastern, or 6 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The allowance race drew a full field of eight Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds, and is the last of six races at 4 1/2 furlongs or 870 yards on the program. The other four races are at 300 yards.

Ima Separatist, the winner of consecutive starts at 870 yards in December and January, can be a factor but must be quicker than he was in those races to beat Ballast Point.

Loud Mouth, a Thoroughbred based at Santa Anita with trainer Steve Knapp, will have his debut at 870 yards. There has been an increase in involvement in 870-yard races by Santa Anita-based stables in recent weeks while that track is temporarily closed because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Loud Mouth won a $32,000 claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in a 16-1 upset at Santa Anita on Feb. 17, but was eighth of 10 in the Sensational Star Stakes over the same course and distance on March 22.

Jones could have a big evening on Sunday. In the ninth race, a maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies at 300 yards, Jones starts Danjerous, a Favorite Cartel filly who was purchased for $340,000 at the Ruidoso select yearling sale last September.

“It looks like she has a little talent,” Jones said. “She’s got some class. Hopefully we can get a good race out of her.”

Danjerous is part of a field of eight. All Thats Considered, by Kiss My Hocks, is well-regarded following a 220-yard workout from the gate in 12.30 seconds on April 4.

In the seventh race, Better Version will have his debut in a maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds at 300 yards. Trained by Chris O’Dell, Better Version was purchased for $247,000 at the Los Alamitos equine sale last October, the most expensive hip of the auction.

Better Vision is part of a field of seven that includes the Jones-trained Hez Our Money Secret, who zoomed 220 yards from the gate in 12.20 seconds on April 4 in preparation for his first start.