Straight Up G makes King Glorious first stakes victory
CYPRESS, Calif. - Motoring along on the lead, Straight Up G was sending cool vibes to jockey Ricky Gonzalez in the first quarter-mile of Sunday’s $102,000 King Glorious Stakes for California-bred 2-year-olds at Los Alamitos.
“We got to the front on the first turn and his ears were moving back and forth,” Gonzalez said. “I knew he was game.”
Straight Up G led by a length after a quarter-mile, but only by a neck midway through the one-mile race. While 30-1 Moose Mitchell was briefly close to the leader on the backstretch, there were no other challengers through the final half-mile.
Straight Up G pulled clear through the long stretch to win his stakes debut by 3 1/2 lengths over 9-5 favorite Finneus.
“I had a lot of horse,” Gonzalez said.
The second choice, Straight Up G ($6) ran a mile in 1:36.88 to win his second consecutive race in his third start. Straight Up G earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 75.
Fast Draw Munnings (3-1) finished third. Fowler Blue finished fourth, followed by Moose Mitchell, Devine Feminine, Socal Red, Thirsty Always and So I’m Told.
Finneus and Fast Draw Munnings were first and third in the Golden State Juvenile at Del Mar on Nov. 5. Slow Down Andy was second in that race and won Saturday’s Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity.
Straight Up G, who races for sports commentator Jim Rome’s Jungle Racing, was fourth in his debut in a maiden special weight race for California-breds at Santa Anita on Oct. 9, finishing 6 1/4 lengths behind Slow Down Andy.
Straight Up G won a maiden special weight for statebreds at six furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 21.
“He’s a big, long-striding colt,” trainer Richard Baltas said Sunday. “He’s got a good mind. He does it so easy.”
Straight Up G, by Straight Fire, has earned $105,660.
The King Glorious Stakes was the final race of the two-week December meeting at Los Alamitos. The Santa Anita winter-spring meeting begins on Dec. 26.