Lotta Blues Man heavy favorite in Southern California Derby

CYPRESS, Calif.- Lotta Blues Man was one of the top 2-year-olds at Los Alamitos last year, when he won the Golden State Million Futurity and was second in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.

This year, Lotta Blues Man has yet to win a major race. The gelding has a final chance to do so in Friday’s $175,300 Southern California Derby, the last stakes of the year for 3-year-olds at Los Alamitos.

Lotta Blues Man has drawn the outside post in a field of 10 and will be a heavy favorite for owners Russ and Lisa Stooks, who race as Lucky Seven Ranch. Trained by Mike Casselman, Lotta Blues Man was the fastest qualifier for the Southern California Derby, winning the last of five 400-yard time trials by 1 3/4 lengths in 19.79 seconds on Dec. 1.

Cesar DeAlba rode Lotta Blues Man in the time trial and to a win in the Town Policy Stakes on Nov. 11. DeAlba has the mount on Friday. The Southern California Derby is the first of three major stakes for Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos this weekend, followed by Saturday’s $750,000 Champion of Champions and the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity on Sunday evening.

The Southern California Derby is the last of eight races on Friday on a program that begins at 7 p.m. Pacific. Earlier in the day, Los Alamitos will have an eight-race Thoroughbred program, beginning at 12:30 p.m.

Lotta Blues Man has won 8 of 14 starts and earned $909,985. He earned $875,763 in a stellar 2-year-old season. In his only other major stakes appearance this year, Lotta Blues Man finished eighth in the Golden State Derby on Aug. 20 after a rough trip.

The Southern California Derby does not include any of the leading derby winners this year. Chazaq, who won the Los Alamitos Super Derby on Nov. 12, is part of the Champion of Champions field.

Kissed by an Eagle, who was third in the Super Derby, won a division of the Southern California Derby trials and returns in the finals. A gelding trained by Roman Figueroa, Kissed by an Eagle won the Vandys Flash Handicap in June when trained by Dennis Givens.

Cartel Sixes won a division of the trials for trainer Jaime Gomez. A gelding, Cartel Sixes was fourth in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity last year and sixth in the Golden State Derby.