Flash Bak's best race makes him hard to beat in Los Alamitos Derby
It has been a busier-than-normal three weeks for the gelding Flash Bak since a win in a division of the time trials for Sunday’s $925,650 Los Alamitos Derby at Los Alamitos.
Flash Bak bled in the trial, and was required to undergo a workout without a repeat incident in the interim. On Oct. 31, Flash Bak worked 220 yards in 12.40 seconds.
“We scoped him and he was perfect,” trainer Jaime Gomez said that evening.
Flash Bak was the fastest qualifier from the Oct. 16 time trials with a time of 19.66 seconds for 400 yards. He drew post 9 in a talented field of 10 in Sunday’s final.
If there are no complications from the bleeding incident, Flash Bak stands an excellent chance to win the track’s richest derby. The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the $600,000 Champion of Champions against older horses on Dec. 11.
Owned by Jim Streelman and Bill Dale, who races as Dutch Masters III, Flash Bak was a troubled ninth in the $3 million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs in September 2020 and second in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity last November.
Earlier this year, Flash Bak won the Los Alamitos Winter Derby in February, finished ninth after a poor start in the Rainbow Derby at Ruidoso Downs in July, and was third in the All American Invitational, the consolation for the All American Derby on Sept. 5.
The 2021 stakes winners A Dangerous Flash, Apollitical Patty and Reason to Fly MV are capable of beating Flash Bak with their best race.
A Dangerous Flash won the Ruidoso Invitational, the consolation to the Ruidoso Derby, in June, and was later third in the Rainbow Derby and fifth in the All American Gold Cup. In his California debut, and first start for trainer Chris O’Dell, A Dangerous Flash won a division of the Los Alamitos Super Derby trials with the fifth-fastest qualifying time of 19.82 seconds.
Apollitical Patty won the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity last December and the Los Alamitos Oaks in March. She is winless in three subsequent starts, unseating jockey Jesus Ayala in a time trial for the Golden State Derby, finishing third to Reason to Fly MV in the Mildred Vessels Handicap for fillies and mares, and second to A Dangerous Flash in the Super Derby trials.
Reason to Fly MV was fourth in the Super Derby trials behind A Dangerous Flash after a poor start, and had the 10th and final qualifying time. She will need to improve from her race in the Mildred Vessels to be a factor in the Super Derby.