Super Game must overcome lack of speed to win allowance

Although its 1,380-foot stretch is billed as the longest in American racing, Los Alamitos provides virtually no advantage to late-runners at the track’s most-used distance of 5 1/2 furlongs.

The good news for Super Game, a closer, is 5 1/2 furlongs suits her better than the five furlongs at which she finished fourth last out. The question in Saturday’s eighth-race feature for California-bred allowance fillies and mares – is 5 1/2 furlongs enough?

Super Game’s trainer, Brian Koriner, is hopeful.

“Five was probably not far enough,” he said. “Now we’re only going five and a half, but the long stretch at Los Al might fix that.”

Sounds reasonable. After all, the stretch is more than a quarter-mile long. However, closers struggle at 5 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos. Only slightly more than 20 percent of races at the distance are won by horses positioned outside the top three into the lane. Super Game, the most probable winner in Saturday’s feature despite her style, could be up against it.

Eight were entered in the California-bred allowance, elevated to feature-race status when the $75,000 Beverly Lewis Stakes was scrapped due to insufficient entries.

The allowance field includes Righteously, a claiming filly who has won five of her last six starts; Truly Fabulous, trying to rebound from a subpar effort; and comeback speedster No Cover Charge. Dozo, Li’l Grazen, and Koriner-trained debut winner Wrong Turn Cupid also were entered.

Super Game was off for nearly 11 weeks before she returned last month at Del Mar in a California-bred turf sprint. She ran better than the fourth-place finish indicates. Shuffled back early and void of speed, she angled outside, finished strongly, and galloped out in front.

Koriner entered her back two weeks later at a mile on turf, but she did not draw in from the also-eligible list. The dirt race Saturday is a backup.

“If it was at Santa Anita, I wouldn’t have entered her in this spot,” Koriner said. “But she ran well here before, the faster dirt suits her, and it seems like turf horses run okay” at Los Alamitos.

Super Game is drawn in the outside post with apprentice Jessica Pyfer to ride.

Wrong Turn Cupid has an up-front style that gives her a tactical edge over her stablemate. The challenge for Wrong Turn Cupid is improving on her five-furlong turf maiden win, run in a relatively slow 57.67 seconds at Del Mar.

Koriner offers a glass half-full analysis of Wrong Turn Cupid’s win.

“She did it the right way,” he said. “She broke sharp, laid outside horses, and greenly drew away.”

Drayden Van Dyke rides her back.

◗ Two-year-old maidens go 5 1/2 furlongs in the ninth race, including Kamui, second across the line in a strong maiden race Aug. 21 at Del Mar. He was disqualified to third for interference. His rivals include the fast-working firster Fight On Ron and $700,00 juvenile purchase Sir London.