Los Alamitos winners headed to Real Good Deal

CYPRESS, Calif. - Rocko’s Wheel and Smack Talk, the winners of optional claimers at Los Alamitos on Friday, are likely to start in the $200,000 Real Good Deal Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 2.

Rocko’s Wheel, owned by the Little Red Feather Racing syndicate and Jimmy Ukegawa and trained by Phil D’Amato, won an optional claimer at a mile for his third win in six starts. Joe Talamo has been aboard for all three wins.

Rocko’s Wheel won an optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on April 26, but was ninth in the Snow Chief Stakes for California-bred 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf on May 23.

D’Amato said that Rocko’s Wheel is suited to race from seven furlongs to a mile, making the Real Good Deal Stakes for California-bred 3-year-olds at seven furlongs an ideal fit.

“With pace to run at, he should be effective,” he said.

Smack Talk won an optional claimer for California-breds at 5 1/2 furlongs, closing from off the pace under Talamo. Friday’s race was Smack Talk’s first start since a fifth-place finish in the Golden State Juvenile at Santa Anita last November.

“He came out of that race with a little injury, nothing serious,” trainer Vann Belvoir said. “This race is a good prep race.”

Smack Talk has won two of three starts, all for CTR Stable and Moore Racing.