Off track likely to be a factor in opening-day feature

Wet weather could influence the outcome of the eight races on Thursday’s opening day of the two-week Los Alamitos winter meeting.

Rain is expected on Wednesday into Thursday, and that could work in favor of Adens Dream and Storminside in the seventh race, an allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option at six furlongs.

The program begins at 1 p.m. Pacific.

Adens Dream, trained by John Sadler, is winless in four starts on off tracks in his career, but was second in a maiden special weight race on a sloppy track at Fair Grounds in 2016 before joining Sadler.

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Owned by Pete and Kosta Hronis, Adens Dream has not started since finishing fourth in an optional claimer at Del Mar on Aug. 18. Adens Dream was later promoted to third when race winner Mr Vargas was disqualified from first place because of a medication violation.

Adens Dream, who tends to race near the front, will have his fourth start for Hronis Racing and Sadler on Thursday and is eligible to be claimed for $40,000. Adens Dream has had a steady pattern of workouts since mid-November, including five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Santa Anita on Nov. 27.

Storminside has not raced since a win in a $32,000 claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs on a "good" track at Santa Anita in May, his first start for trainer Tim Yakteen. Storminside has also done well when racing on the lead.

Jockey Geovanni Franco has the mount. Franco finished third in the standings at the Del Mar autumn meeting, which ended on Sunday.

The quickest runner in the field is the lightly raced Microrithms, trained by Bob Baffert. Microrithms was second by a neck as the favorite in an optional claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on Nov. 3 in his first start in more than 15 months.

Microrithms broke from the rail and dueled for the lead in that race. For Thursday’s race, Microrithms has drawn post 7, which should give jockey Drayden Van Dyke the option of sending his mount to the lead or stalking a rival.

Van Dyke was the leading rider at the Del Mar autumn meeting. Thursday’s race will be the first time Van Dyke has ridden Microrithms.

Thursday’s race will be the fourth start for Microrithms, who worked a quick five furlongs in 58.60 seconds at Santa Anita on Nov. 28.