Los Alamitos trims stakes schedule for July meet

Los Alamitos has reduced the purse for the Los Alamitos Derby and the number of stakes for its two-week Thoroughbred meeting in July.

The eight-day meeting July 2-12 will have four stakes worth $750,000 in total, compared to seven races worth $1,150,000 in 2014, the first year the meeting was conducted. Los Alamitos significantly overpaid purses during the 2014 meeting.

The highlight of the July meeting will be the $350,000 Los Alamitos Derby at 1 1/8 miles on July 4, a race worth $500,000 last year. Shared Belief won the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Derby in 2014.

One race unchanged for the 2015 meeting is the $200,000 Great Lady M. Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs.

The opening-day feature is the $75,000 Bertrando Stakes for California-breds at a mile. The purse has been reduced from last year by $25,000. The featured race on the final day is the $75,000 Summer Juvenile Championship for 2-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs. Last year, there were two $100,000 races for 2-year-olds at six furlongs – the W.L. Proctor Memorial for both sexes and the Cinderella Stakes for fillies.

Two $75,000 races at 1 1/16 miles from 2014 will not be offered – the American Flag Stakes and the Cypress Stakes.