Sokudo a major player in 870-yard Wheatland Handicap

Sokudo has not run in a race designed exclusively for Thoroughbreds since September, when he finished sixth of seven in a starter allowance for former $8,000 claimers at the Los Angeles County Fair meeting at Los Alamitos.

Since then, Sokudo has won 2 of 6 starts, all in 870-yard races at the Los Alamitos evening meeting, races that often draw more Thoroughbreds than Quarter Horses.

Saturday’s $20,000 Wheatland Handicap at 870 yards at Los Alamitos will be Sokudo’s 22nd start and the richest race of his career. The Wheatland Handicap will have a full field of eight – seven Thoroughbreds and the Quarter Horse Loan Sharky.

Sokudo, owned and trained by Jesus Uranga, drew the rail in a tough field that includes Biddy Duke, Hardcore Troubador, and Rule He Will.

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The Wheatland Handicap is the last of 10 races on a program that begins at 6 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Of the 10 races, there is one race for Thoroughbreds at 4 1/2 furlongs, five races at 870 yards dominated by Thoroughbreds, and three races for Quarter Horses at 300 yards. With Santa Anita temporarily closed because of the coronavirus outbreak, more horses than usual based there have been running in 870-yard races.

Biddy Duke, trained at Santa Anita by Andrew Lerner, is a 3-year-old filly who had her 870-yard debut in an allowance race on April 4. Sent off as the 6-5 favorite, Biddy Duke finished first, but was disqualified and placed fifth for drifting out as the field neared the turn.

Hardcore Troubador, who starts from the outside post in the Wheatland, beat Sokudo by 1 3/4 lengths in an allowance race at 870 yards on Feb. 8, and was second by two lengths to Ballast Point in an allowance race at 870 yards on Feb. 23.

Ballast Point, second to Sokudo in the $15,000 Harbor Beach Handicap at 870 yards on March 14, is not part of the Wheatland Handicap field.

Saturday’s race is the 2020 debut for Loan Sharky, who was second to Ballast Point in the $15,000 Snowbound Superstar Stakes at 870 yards on Dec. 8. A 4-year-old gelding, Loan Sharky has since been transferred from trainer Chris O’Dell to Angela Aquino.