Finneus finds suitable spot in King Glorious

CYPRESS, Calif. – In late summer and early fall, Finneus had three starts against California’s best 2-year-olds, finishing second in two graded stakes.

A retreat to the California-bred division led to a first career stakes win in the $178,000 Golden State Juvenile on Nov. 5 at Del Mar. Finneus has a home with statebreds for the foreseeable future.

Sunday, Finneus will start from the rail in the $100,000 King Glorious Stakes for statebreds at a mile at Los Alamitos.

Finneus is one of two stakes winners in the field of nine along with Thirsty Always. Both colts are by Stay Thirsty and trained by Walther Solis for partnerships that include breeder Terry Lovingier. Their main rivals include Fast Draw Munnings, who was third in the Golden State Juvenile, and four colts and geldings who beat maidens in their last starts, notably Straight Up G on Nov. 21 at Del Mar.

Sunday is the final day of the two-week December meeting at Los Alamitos. There is no live Thoroughbred racing in Southern California until Santa Anita begins its winter-spring meeting on Dec. 26.

Los Alamitos has an 11-race program on Sunday, beginning at noon Pacific.

Finneus has started once around two turns, finishing sixth of seven in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 1 at Santa Anita. Race winner Corniche returned to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 5 at Del Mar.

Finneus was as close as fifth on the turn, four lengths off the pace, before fading through the stretch to lose by 14 1/4 lengths at 48-1 under jockey Tiago Pereira.

“I was a little frustrated,” Solis said. “Tiago made his run too early, that’s why he lost by so much. He could have been a little closer.”

In the King Glorious, Finneus will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli, who was aboard the colt for a second in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at six furlongs at Del Mar in August. Solis expects Rispoli to have Finneus off the pace for the first six furlongs of the King Glorious.

An inside post is not a concern for Solis.

“The way he wants to run, it’s perfect,” Solis said. “He can break, get position, and make one run.”

Finneus will have a pace to follow. Fast Draw Munnings and Straight Up G have shown speed as has Thirsty Always, who has not raced since a win in the restricted Royal Owl Stakes at six furlongs at Los Alamitos in September.

“Thirsty Always has some speed,” Solis said. “He’s really fresh. If we’re not careful, he can steal the lead and never look back.”

Straight Up G was the attractive winner of a maiden special weight race for statebreds at six furlongs on Nov. 21, disputing the pace throughout. Trained by Richard Baltas, Straight Up G will start from post 4 and will be ridden by Ricky Gonzalez, who was aboard for the maiden race win.

“It’s kind of a nice post,” Baltas said. “You can see if there is speed inside, and he can stalk them.

“He’s a big horse. He’s lengthy and powerful.”