Pedigrees and potential on display

CYPRESS, Calif.– The eighth and final race on Friday’s program at Los Alamitos may offer a glimpse into the 3-year-old filly division in Southern California in 2018.

The eighth race is a $40,000 maiden special weight race at six furlongs that drew a field of nine. It is quite possible a few of the fillies could develop into stakes runners. There certainly are several prospects with promising bloodlines among the six first-time starters.

The Friday program at Los Alamitos begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific and is the final Friday of the track’s December meeting. Santa Anita opens its winter-spring meeting Dec. 26.

:: Save on PPs, digital subscriptions, and more!

:: Get PPs, analysis, and watch Saturday's Tampa Bay Downs card live

KEY CONTENDERS

Gracious Me, by Into Mischief

◗ Trained by Vladimir Cerin, Gracious Me was bred in Washington by owners Todd and Shawn Hansen. Gracious Me is out of Gadget Queen, who won 10 of 37 starts and earned $309,030. Gadget Queen won two stakes at Emerald Downs and four allowance races at Golden Gate Fields in 2009 and 2010.

◗ Gracious Me has shown improvement in recent months, Cerin said.

“She’s coming around,” he said. “I think she can run a bit.

“I don’t know if she’s 100 percent ready. She’s fast.”

Loving Moment, by Uncle Mo

◗ Loving Moment has been based with trainer Phil D’Amato since late October. She worked a half-mile in 48 seconds from the gate Dec. 4 and five furlongs in 1:01.40 last Sunday.

“She’s a nice, good-sized Uncle Mo filly,” D’Amato said. “She’s got tactical speed. I think she’ll get better with distance. I don’t see any reason, if she gets the right kind of trip, she wouldn’t have a chance on Friday.”

◗ Loving Moment is owned by John Liviakis and the Little Red Feather Racing partnership. Liviakis bred Loving Moment, who is out of Rich Love, a maiden race winner at Laurel. Rich Love is out of Richetta, who won 7 of 54 starts and earned $461,140.

Cowboytakemeaway, by Street Cry

◗ The first-time starter Cowboytakemeaway could be part of the pace, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.

“She comes out of the gate very well,” he said.

◗ Cowboytakemeaway has been based at Los Alamitos with Hollendorfer’s assistant Don Chatlos. Cowboytakemeaway had four consecutive six-furlong workouts from mid-November to Dec. 1.

“We’ve taken our time with her,” Hollendorfer said.

◗ Owned by Stonestreet Stable, Cowboytakemeaway has a sensational pedigree. She is out of Hot Dixie Chick, winner of the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga in 2009 and a half-sister to 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming.

Raising Aida, by Speightstown

◗ Purchased for $175,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale, Raising Aida is trained by Bob Baffert, who won with six of his first 11 starters at the Los Alamitos meeting.

◗ Raising Aida has worked steadily at Los Alamitos, including a half-mile in 47 seconds from the gate Nov. 15.