Litmus Test gets first taste of spotlight in Los Alamitos Futurity

For the first time, Litmus Test will be at the center of attention in a stakes in Saturday’s Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity.

Litmus Test was 15-1 when he finished fourth of six in his stakes debut in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs on Sept. 7. On Oct. 4, Litmus Test finished third by five lengths at 9-1 behind odds-on favorite Ted Noffey in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland.

Superstar Ted Noffey hogged the limelight as the 4-5 favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 31 at Del Mar. Litmus Test finished fourth by 1 3/4 lengths at 21-1.

The $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity at 1 1/16 miles will be different. Litmus Test, owned by a partnership that includes SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stable, will be favored to beat five rivals.

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Litmus Test is trained by Bob Baffert, who also starts Provenance, a well-bred maiden race winner at Santa Anita in September; and Blacksmith, who is winless in two starts.

Baffert won seven consecutive runnings of the Los Alamitos Futurity from 2014-20. He has won the race once in the last four years, with Wynstock in 2023.

Blacksmith and the outsider American King were supplemented to the Los Alamitos Futurity for $7,500 when entries were taken Wednesday. American King, trained by Ruben Gomez, is winless in two starts.

Litmus Test, purchased for $875,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale, drew post 3. A win would propel Litmus Test into the ranks of the leading California-based prospects for the 2026 Triple Crown.

“He’s definitely Grade 1-caliber,” Tom Ryan of SF Racing said Wednesday. “With his pedigree and demeanor, he should travel well through the winter.

“We’re excited about it. It’s a lovely stepping-stone for the horse.”

In the Los Alamitos Futurity, Litmus Test will be ridden by Juan Hernandez, who was aboard the colt for a win in a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 16 at Del Mar.

Litmus Test has frequently raced as a stalker, and the same tactics are expected in the Los Alamitos Futurity. Runners such as Acknowledgemeplz, who drew the inside post; Provenance, who won at six furlongs in his last start; and Captivator, who drew the outside post; have shown speed.

“J.J. will be very aware of the pace out of the gate,” Ryan said of Hernandez. “We never take away the horse’s speed from them.

“We’ll ride a smart race.”

Baffert said Thursday that Blacksmith and Provenance should not be dismissed.

Blacksmith was second to Acknowledgemeplz in his first start, but fifth at 2-5 in a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs on Nov. 16 at Del Mar, closing from eighth of 10 in the stretch.

“I was puzzled by his run at Del Mar,” Baffert said. “At the end, he figured it out. He started running.

“He looks like he’s just crying for distance.”

Provenance is by leading stallion Into Mischief and is out of Monomoy Girl, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2018 and older female of 2020.

“He’s bred to beat them all,” Baffert said. “He’s got the best pedigree. He’s a very immature horse. Until you send them long, you don’t know what they’ll do.”

Acknowledgemeplz, trained by Doug O’Neill, led throughout a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs on Oct. 25 at Santa Anita, finishing in a quick 1:15.72.

Captivator, trained by John Sadler, won a restricted maiden race at six furlongs by 10 1/4 lengths as the 9-10 favorite at Del Mar on Nov. 8 in his second start.

The maiden race was restricted to horses who had started for a claiming price, were bought back at auction for $150,000 or less, or were entered to be claimed for $62,500. Captivator was listed as a buyback for $120,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September yearling sale.

Captivator, who is by Charlatan, will be ridden by Hector Berrios and will race without blinkers. He was fitted with the equipment for the maiden race win on Nov. 8.

Berrios “thought he was pulling a little hard,” Sadler said. “He needs to be more relaxed to get the distance.”

Sadler insists that Captivator will not necessarily be sent to the front and considers the outside draw a favorable starting position.

“It’s a good post,” he said. “You can see how the race develops. It’s a question of how he handles the distance. He’s very talented.

“Charlatan was kind of a miler. The breeding is right there for the middle distance.”

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