Jensen will be aboard Lotta Blues Man for Two Million Futurity

CYPRESS, Calif. - Cody Jensen climbed off Lotta Blues Man after the Golden State Million Futurity at Los Alamitos on Nov. 6 and struggled to walk toward the jockey’s room. Jensen had ridden Lotta Blues Man to a win, but was suffering the effects of a shoulder injury sustained at Zia Park a few weeks earlier.

The injury forced Jensen to ride sparingly through mid-November. He was back for Lotta Blues Man’s following race, in a Nov. 20 time trial for the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. The gelding set the fastest qualifying time for Sunday’s $1,950,050 final at 400 yards.

Earlier this week, when post positions were drawn for the Two Million, trainer Mike Casselman was eager to see Jensen back aboard Lotta Blues Man.

“Our rider is 100 percent,” he said, glancing at Jensen.

Jensen smirked. “I’m a lot closer,” he allowed.

Jensen has ridden through pain with various injuries in the past, but his condition has improved since Nov. 6. He has ridden sparingly, with four wins in the last month through Thursday. Jensen’s excitement for riding a heavy favorite such as Lotta Blues Man will carry him far on Sunday evening.

Lotta Blues Man races for Russell and Lisa Stooks and has won 5 of 6 starts and has earned $551,395. His only loss was a third in the Ed Burke Million Futurity here in June. Lotta Blues Man had a four-month break after the Ed Burke Million and has won three races since his comeback – a trial and final for the Golden State Million and a time trial for the Two Million.

“He had a nice layoff and came back and trained really sharp,” Casselman said. “That was good for him. He’s pretty lightly raced.”

Lotta Blues Man will break from post 3, farther inside than Casselman would prefer. He said the key to the win is a successful start.

“I have to get away,” Casselman said. “I feel good about him if he can get away. He’s figuring it out. He broke a little slow in the Ed Burke.”

Lotta Blues Man is part of a field of 10 and is the richest runner in the race. Four starters have run in seven-figure futurities.

Cartel Sixes was seventh in the Ed Burke and fourth in the Golden State Million futurities. One Hot Habit was seventh in the Ruidoso Futurity in June and ninth in the $3 million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs on Sept. 5. One Hot Habit was second to Lotta Blues Man in the Two Million trials.

Worth Doing was second in the Ed Burke and third in the Golden State Million futurities.

There will be support for Kissed by an Eagle, who was third in the Juvenile Challenge Championship at Los Alamitos on Oct. 29 and won a productive division of the Two Million trials that produced three qualifiers for Sunday’s final.