King: How I'd play Los Alamitos on Sunday, Dec. 21

For many circuits, Sunday is the last day of racing before Christmas week hits full swing. And that’s certainly true at Los Alamitos Race Course, where Sunday is closing day before Southern California racing takes a short break before Santa Anita opens Dec. 26.

The Sunday card is hardly a blockbuster one, particularly coming a day after the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity headlined the Saturday races.

Nevertheless, some good wagering prospects exist.

Here are horses I like Sunday at Los Al:

Race 6: UP THE ALLEY (6) has won two of her last three and will deservedly attract support but still get the impression some might view her with skepticism, as those two victories came on Polytrack at Del Mar, not on dirt. I am taking another view – that this filly just now is hitting her peak, and when 3-year-olds do that at this time of year, they tend to maintain their sharp form.

This is a filly that ran well on dirt earlier this year and only bombed on it at Santa Anita in October when farther off the pace than usual and when returning from a layoff. She also is 2 for 2 with jockey Tyler Baze aboard.

Race 5: APARRI (10), off poorly in her debut, is a logical candidate to improve in his second start for a barn that does well with such types. And working in her favor is that this is a very inexperienced maiden group considering it is fillies aged 3 and up.

Race 8: CELEBRITY STATUS (3), a stakes dropper, this one should appreciate a class drop into the allowance ranks and from the return of jockey Elvis Trujillo in the saddle. He was up when this horse just missed in a race at Santa Anita, earning a 93 Beyer Speed Figure, one of his career-best speed figures.