Los Alamitos to cut purses, won't run pair of stakes

Los Alamitos has cut overnight purses across-the-board and has not scheduled two stakes run last year during its two-week meeting from Sept. 13-22.

The reduction in overnight purses stems from a decline in handle at recent meetings, an issue that has plagued all tracks in Southern California for more than a year.

At Los Alamitos later this month, a $20,000 claimer for maidens will be worth $18,000 compared to $20,600 last year, a decline of 12.6 percent. A maiden race will be worth $40,000, a decline of $5,000, or 11 percent from the fall meeting in 2023.

The purse of a first-condition allowance race will be worth $44,000, a drop of $3,000, or 6 percent from 12 months ago.

The track has scheduled two stakes, both at a mile – the $75,000 E.B. Johnston Stakes for statebred on Sept. 14 and the $125,000 Dark Mirage Stakes for fillies and mares on Sept. 21.

Last year, there were four stakes scheduled at the meeting. The $100,000 Los Alamitos Special at 1 1/16 miles drew a field of four, while the $100,000 Capote Stakes for 2-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs failed to draw sufficient entries. Those races are not scheduled this year.

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