Brad Free: Los Alamitos preview for Saturday, December 7, 2019

A pick-6 carryover of $11,906 spices up Saturday at Los Alamitos, where Donna Veloce and Thousand Words are respective favorites in the Grade 1 Starlet and Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity. New money into the $2 pick 6 should top $50,000. The payout structure in the Los Al pick six is a traditional 70-30 split between six winners (or carryover) and consolation. There is no single-ticket scheme. The Los Al surface could be wet Saturday. The track condition is pending.

Race 4 – Favorites have won the mile and one-sixteenth Futurity seven straight years, and 10 of the last 11. Bob Baffert, who has won the Futurity all five years at Los Al, entered program favorite Thousand Words (3) and two-for-two sprinter High Velocity (4). Anneau d’Or (1), runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, is second choice at 9-5; Wrecking Crew (2), whose “trouble” last out was overstated, completes the four-runner field.

The last time the Futurity had four starters was 2000, when BC Juvenile runner-up Point Given won at odds-on. Thousand Words won impressively first out, has trained super since, and is the proper choice. Baffert won the Futurity two years ago with second-time starter McKinzie (via disqualification). Thousand Words and Anneau d’Or, the two favorites, should cover the race.

Race 5 – Small fields are likely to limit the pick-6 payoff. Therefore, it makes sense to limit one’s pick-6 wager. This handicapper plans to single 3-1 second choice Torosay (3), whose dominating maiden win on turf and sharp subsequent dirt works suggest he can handle this entry-level allowance. Torosay is a sibling to Grade 1 sprint winner Denman’s Call. The program favorite is debut winner Speed Pass (9). Rogallo (4) will rally late.

Race 6 – Stretch-out pacesetter Message (3), romping maiden winner Amatara (5) and turf-to-dirt Ms Peintour (6) should cover this filly-mare allowance route.

Race 7 – Donna Veloce (3), runner-up by a neck in the BC Juvenile Fillies in just her second start, is odds-on in the Grade 1 Starlet at a mile and a sixteenth. She is a pick-6 single for many. The lightly raced filly has trained very well since the BC. An upset candidate is Gingham (4) at 6-1. She might be better than her figures suggest. She has four routes under her belt, she overcame a slow pace and traffic winning last out and is bred for a wet track. At minimum, Gingham might complete the exacta in the five-runner field.

The favorite Donna Veloce is trained by Simon Callaghan, whose $1.3 million juvenile filly Saralin is sidelined. Saralin finished second to Gingham in her debut, and was favored Nov. 22 at Del Mar. Saralin scratched with an undisclosed setback. “She’s going to be back in training around February,” Callaghan said. Stay tuned.

Race 8 – Maiden 2-year-old sprinters are led by second-time starter Ra’ad (6), whose Nov. 25 team work with Futurity favorite Thousand Words was impressive. Ra’ad came back Dec. 2 to work in company with multiple Grade 3 winner Mucho Gusto. Based on his okay debut, and sharp works since raced, Ra’ad should improve a ton. Another low-odds winner? This pick 6 might pay peanuts.

Race 9 – Cal-bred maidens running for a $50k tag sprint five and a half; Baltimore Beecho (10) is favored off his runner-up finish last out. First-timer Champs Success (6) is quick according to National Turf workout analyst Andy Harrington; first-timer Startling (9) is a new face in a weak race, and Papa Tony (1) could be the speed of the field.

First post Saturday is 12:30 Pacific. The pick six begins with the Futurity, race 4, scheduled post time 1:58.