Halley in allowance prep for upcoming futurities

Considering the success of her older half-sister, the 2-year-old Quarter Horse filly Halley needs a big second half of 2020 at Los Alamitos to keep up with the family.

Halley, who starts in a 300-yard allowance race at Los Alamitos on Friday, won a maiden race in her debut in April and was later second in a division of the Ed Burke Million Futurity time trials on June 7 and second to Apollitical Patty in an allowance race on June 26.

Last Saturday, Apollitical Patty was second as a heavy favorite in the California Juvenile Challenge.

Halley, trained by Mike Robbins for Beth and Michael Harper, is nominated to the two major futurities at Los Alamitos this fall – the Golden State Million in November and the Los Alamitos Two Million in December. To reach those races, Halley must qualify in time trials.

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Friday’s race, for nonwinners of two, serves as a prep for an autumn campaign.

By Apollitical Jess, Halley is a half-sister to Uptowne Babe, who won the 2019 Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park.

Halley will break from post 2 and be ridden by Oscar Peinado, who is closely allied with Robbins. In the June 26 allowance race at 300 yards, Halley bumped with a rival at the start, but was no match for Apollitical Patty, who won by an easy 1 1/2 lengths.

Friday’s allowance race drew a field of eight, all fillies though it is not a restricted race. None of the runners have stakes experience, but several are nominated to the lucrative autumn futurities.

This will be the first start against winners for Reason to Fly MV, the attractive winner of a maiden special weight race at 300 yards in her debut for trainer Jose Flores on July 18. Reason to Fly MV bumped with a rival at the start and recovered to win by three-quarters of a length, finishing in a quick 15.53 seconds.

By comparison, Racing N Lace won her debut by a nose in maiden race at 300 yards on July 19 in 15.69 seconds.

Leading rider Jesus Ayala rides Heatedly, who has drawn well in the outside post. Trained by James Glenn Jr. for Los Alamitos owner Ed Allred, Heatedly won her second start against maidens at 300 yards in 15.74 seconds on July 31.