Tokay Flame shortening up

Tokay Flame will shorten up in distance to 550 yards after two winning efforts over 870 yards in the Barbra B Handicap at Los Alamitos on Saturday night.

A 4-year-old gelding trained By Denny Ekins, Tokay Flame won his maiden race on Aug. 12 at 870 yards and has 4 wins from his latest 5 starts, including that maiden score. Each of those starts has been around the turn at 870 yards. His most important win during that stretch was a three-quarter-length win in the Evangeline Downs Stakes on the undercard of Bank of America Challenge Championship night on Nov. 3.

In his most recent start, Tokay Flame pulled away to a three-quarter-length win as the 13-10 favorite even though jockey Ramon Guce dropped his whip.

Aladim Bryan Sa, who has raced in three Grade 1 stakes, has the class edge. A 7-year-old gelding, he is after his first victory since winning an allowance race at the Bay Meadows Fair. He followed that win with a third-place finish in the Pomona Championship as the 8-5 favorite.

On the Fast Lane is moving up to stakes company at longer distances after racing in claiming events at shorter distances. He made his first 18 starts at 350 yards or shorter before finishing third in the 550-yard Fullerton handicap in his most recent start. The gelding was sent off at 23-1 in the Fullerton and was bumped at the start, yet was able to get within a half-length of the winner, Royal Bridlewood.