Bertrando a fitting career bow for Soi Phet

First call for Los Alamitos, last call for Soi Phet.

The summer Thoroughbred meet begins Saturday at Los Alamitos, where millionaire gelding Soi Phet makes the 64th and final start of his career as the sentimental favorite in the $100,000 Bertrando Stakes.

“He’s been with us so long, he’s become like a pet,” trainer Leonard Powell said this week at his Santa Anita stable. “It’s going to be sad when he’s not here anymore.”

Los Alamitos certainly will not be the same. Soi Phet, claimed for $16,000 six years ago, has been a mainstay since the first Los Al daytime meet in 2014. Over the next five years, he won five Los Al stakes including the Bertrando in 2014 and 2018. Eventually, age catches up.

“He is 11,” Powell said, further explanation not required. “There’s quite a bit of pressure in running at 11 years old, especially in these times. You never want it to be the one race too many.”

Soi Phet finished next to last with a compromising trip in his most recent start.

Later this summer, Soi Phet will relocate to Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farms in Kentucky. Saturday, the Bertrando is his final start even if Soi Phet scores a surprising win.

“Still the last one,” Powell said. “And that would be the best, to retire like that.”

It would be an upset, because the most likely winner is King Abner, whose trainer, Phil D’Amato, blames himself for an odds-on defeat June 15 in an allowance at Santa Anita. It was his first start since a solid runner-up finish April 28 in a Grade 3 at Lone Star.

“When he came back from Lone Star, I was probably a little too easy on him in his training and it showed the last eighth of a mile,” D’Amato said. “But he got a good race on a track that was ultra deep. He’s going to go to Los Al and feel like he’s got wings.”

The Los Alamitos racing surface typically produces significantly faster times than Santa Anita. King Abner already has a win and two seconds from three starts at Los Al.

The Bertrando, one mile for California-breds, also includes Jerry Hollendorfer-trained Grade 3 winner Grecian Fire and stakes winner He Will, along with turf-to-dirt upset candidate Tule Fog and the mare Queen Bee to You.

King Abner may set the pace, Tule Fog and Queen Bee to You will press, and Soi Phet is likely to be positioned midfield. He Will and Grecian Fire will rally from behind. The Los Al main track played fair during this meet last year. From 23 races at a mile, six were won by the pacesetter, 11 by pressers, six from the back.

KEY CONTENDERS

King Abner, by Hansen
Last 3 Beyers: 86-92-100

◗ He will be ridden by resurgent Martin Garcia, who was 8 for 28 the final four weeks of the Santa Anita meet. Garcia and D’Amato are 5 for 8 at Los Al the past five years.

Soi Phet, by Tizbud
Last 3 Beyers: 72-82-86

◗ He had an uncomfortable trip last out, and Powell expects improvement Saturday. “He’s as fit as he can be,” Powell said.

◗ Kent Desormeaux rides.

Tule Fog, by Surf Cat
Last 3 Beyers: 84-89-85

◗ Both his recent starts on turf were better than his finish position (sixth, second). He set or pressed fast fractions in races that were dominated by closers.

◗ Tule Fog enters as a viable upset candidate for trainer Javier Sierra and jockey Brice Blanc.

Grecian Fire, by Unusual Heat
Last 3 Beyers: 92-91-82

◗ He won a Grade 3 last out on synthetic at Golden Gate Fields. He finished third in the 2018 Bertrando at Los Al.