Freaky seems psyched for return in Go Man Go

His opinion seems hard to believe.

Trainer Adan Farias guided Freaky to the 2009 World Champion Quarter Horse title after the gelding won four consecutive major stakes from June through December. Freaky then started 2010 with a comprehensive win in the Los Alamitos Winter Championship in February.

Now, Farias insists that Freaky has an improved mental state as he nears his first start in more than six months in Friday’s $100,000 Go Man Go Handicap at Los Alamitos.

“He’s better than last year,” Farias said. “Better not as faster, but he’s a happier horse, better form all around. He was a little tired last year.”

Owned by Armando Aguirre, Freaky will start as an overwhelming favorite in the 400-yard Go Man Go Handicap. He will carry top weight of 128 pounds and concede from four to six pounds to his rivals. Farias envisions the Go Man Go Handicap as a prep for the $150,000 Los Alamitos Championship on Oct. 16 and the $750,000 Champion of Champions on Dec. 11, a race that typically plays a major role in the annual World Champion voting.

Last year, Freaky won the Los Alamitos Championship and Champion of Champions, but did not start in the Go Man Go.

After his win in the 2009 Champion of Champions, Farias said Freaky would be turned out for the winter. A few weeks later, he changed his mind, and opted to keep the 5-year-old gelding in training for the Winter Championship, which he won 1 1/4 lengths.

Since returning to training in June, Freaky has had two recorded workouts, which is typical for a Quarter Horse returning from a layoff. He zipped 350 yards in 17.40 seconds on Aug. 7, a time good enough to win most races at that distance.

“He broke like a rocket out of there,” Farias said of the workout. “Training, he’s 100 percent. The best way to get him into shape is to run him in a race. I’ve breezed him a few times and I’ve qualified him twice [from the gates]. My only worry is 400 yards in the race.”

Farias has three starters in the Go Man Go, including Fire Is On and Pappyslilcoronabro, minor stakes winners this year.

The field also includes A Mere Splash, who was second to Freaky in the 2009 Vessels Maturity and Los Alamitos Championship, as well as A Tempting Dash and Bloke, second and third in the Spencer Childers Championship on July 31.