Good With People's stamina will be tested in King Glorious Stakes

Good With People appeared to be cruising to victory in the stretch of the Golden State Juvenile at Del Mar on Nov. 7 before he gave his backers several anxious moments in the last furlong.

A three-length lead dwindled to three-quarters of a length at the finish of the seven-furlong race. The result casts doubt on how effective Good With People can be in Sunday’s $100,000 King Glorious Stakes at a mile at Los Alamitos.

“That’s the big question,” trainer Peter Miller said. “I don’t know the answer. We know he’s fast. He was getting late at Del Mar and now we have to go another furlong.”

Owned by breeders Kirk and Judy Robison, Good With People, a two-time stakes winner, is the most accomplished of 12 runners entered in the King Glorious Stakes for California-bred 2-year-olds.

The King Glorious is the ninth race on a 10-race program that begins at noon, the final day of the Los Angeles county fair meeting. Santa Anita opens its six-month winter-spring meeting on Dec. 26.

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The field for the King Glorious was not finalized as of Friday. While the race drew 12, there is a safety limit of 10 runners.

Positivity, a fast-closing second in the Golden State Juvenile, was also entered in Saturday’s Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity. A decision on which race will be selected was scheduled for later Friday, trainer Paddy Gallagher said.

Positivity will be well backed if he starts in the King Glorious. In the Golden State Juvenile, Positivity was fourth on the turn in his first start for trainer Paddy Gallagher and first start since winning the Graduation Stakes for California-breds at six furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 2.

“He gives the impression that he wants to go two turns,” Gallagher said. “When he worked the other day, he galloped out good.”

Five of the 12 entrants have won at a mile – Club Cal, Govenor’s Party, Moving Fast, Play Chicken, and Tacoflavoredkisses.

Tacoflavoredkisses, trained by Simon Callaghan, won an allowance race at a mile at Golden Gate Fields on Oct. 11, but was sixth of nine in the Golden State Juvenile after an unsettled trip on the backstretch.

Play Chicken, trained by Doug O’Neill, won a maiden special weight race at a mile on turf for California-breds in his debut on Oct. 17 and was fifth in the Golden State Juvenile after racing near the front for the first half-mile.

The King Glorious will be the stakes debut for the unbeaten Mister Bold, who is trained by Jeff Bonde. Mister Bold won his debut in a $50,000 claiming race for maiden California-breds at 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Sept. 5 and won a starter allowance at 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Oct. 31, closing from last in a field of six with a wide rally.

“We’re hoping for a good race,” Bonde said. “We’ve been working on trying to get his stamina up. In his breezes, we let him gallop out all the way around turn.”

Mike Smith rode Mister Bold on Oct. 31 and has the mount on Sunday.