Mt Veeder cruises as Contender favorite

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. – Mt Veeder, a 2-year-old trained by Bob Baffert, made it 2 for 2 by rolling gate to wire in the $75,000 Contender Stakes on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by Martin Garcia, Mt Veeder won the six-furlong race by 4 3/4 lengths in 1:09.35, while under a hold at the wire.

The order of finish was predictable. The five starters finished in order of final odds. Second choice Paynes Prairie finished second, followed in order by Bully Pulpit, Panther Creek, and Phantom Heat.

Bistraya threw a fit in the starting gate and was a late scratch.

Mt Veeder ($2.80) broke like a shot under Garcia, took mild pressure from Bully Pulpit on the inside, was briefly challenged on the outside by Paynes Prairie on the turn, and then opened up into the lane and cruised under Garcia.

“This is a long stretch, so I was waiting and so was my horse,” Garcia said. “He just took off when [Paynes Prairie] came up next to us. He has a lot of ability.’’

Mt Veeder, a son of Ghostzapper, is owned by Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton.

The pick six Sunday returned $41,461.80.

Racing at the Los Alamitos fall Thoroughbred meet resumes on Thursday. First post 2 p.m. Pacific.