Club Aspen aces two-turn test in King Glorious Stakes

Club Aspen, who had finished no closer than fifth in three stakes appearances in late summer and earlier this fall, upset the heavily favored Tap Back in Sunday’s $100,000 King Glorious Stakes for 2-year-old California-breds at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by apprentice Jorge Velez, Club Aspen stalked the pace to early stretch and caught 3-5 Tap Back in the final furlong, pulling clear to win by 2 1/2 lengths.

Trainer Craig Lewis watched the stretch run unfold with confidence.

“I never had a doubt,” Lewis said.

The King Glorious Stakes, the final stakes of the two-week Los Alamitos meeting, was Club Aspen’s first start on dirt around two turns.

“We’ve been high on him,” Lewis said. “He acts like he’d run on a bed of nails.”

Club Aspen ($19.40) was timed in 1:36.28 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 76. Tap Back finished 3 1/2 lengths clear of Papster, who was followed by Dapper and Govenor Cinch. Rookie Mistake was withdrawn after becoming upset in the gate.

Club Aspen, by Clubhouse Ride, has won two of seven starts and earned $118,211. Owned by Lewis’s brother, Larry, Club Aspen won his second start in a maiden special weight for California-breds at Del Mar in August.

Club Aspen was later sixth in the Zuma Beach Stakes against open company on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 6 and seventh from the rail in the Golden State Juvenile for statebreds at seven furlongs there on Nov. 1.

“He’s had some excuses,” Lewis said. “In the turf race, he never got to run. In the stakes at seven-eighths, he was compromised by the one-hole. I think the races are better than they appear, and he showed it today.”

Club Aspen will be pointed for the $200,000 California Cup Derby at 1 1/16 miles for statebred 3-year-olds on the main track at Santa Anita on Jan. 18, Lewis said.