CYPRESS, Calif. – Wynstock won his stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity. Typically, a victory in the $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity would land the winner on a list of potential candidates for the Kentucky Derby in the spring. Not Wynstock. Wynstock is trained by Bob Baffert, who is currently barred from having runners in the Kentucky Derby because of a longstanding dispute with Churchill Downs management over a post-race positive found in Medina Spirit, who finished first in the 2021 Kentucky Derby for Baffert. In the last few years, a few of Baffert’s leading 3-year-olds have been moved to fellow California trainer Tim Yakteen in advance of the Kentucky Derby. If Wynstock were to progress toward the 2024 Triple Crown, the colt will not be part of the Kentucky Derby unless Baffert is the official trainer, co-owner Ed Allred said in the winner’s circle. “I’m not saying he’s a Derby horse,” Allred said. “We’re not going unless Baffert trains him.” Wynstock ($29.40) led throughout the Los Alamitos Futurity at 1 1/16 miles. Ridden by Kyle Frey, Wynstock led by at least a length to early stretch, was passed briefly by 4-1 Stronghold midway through the stretch, and fought past that rival to win by a half-length. :: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets. The stewards conducted an inquiry into a bumping incident between Wynstock and Stronghold in the stretch, but did not change the order of finish. “He started it,” Frey said of Stronghold. “Why would I be in trouble?” Wynstock was timed in 1:43.53 after setting a modest pace of 23.53 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.90 for a half-mile. Stronghold finished a half-length in front of Coach Prime, the 4-5 favorite. Wynstock earned a career-best Best Speed Figure of 86. Coach Prime, the easy winner of a maiden race at a mile on Nov. 10 at Del Mar, closed from last in a field of five in the Los Alamitos Futurity under jockey Flavien Prat. Coach Prime reached contention with a wide move, but could not catch Wynstock or Stronghold. “I had a good trip,” Prat said. “They didn’t stop in front.” Prat was aboard Coach Prime for his maiden race win last month. “Hopefully, he’ll keep improving race after race,” Prat said. Wine Me Up, second in the Grade 2 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita in October for Baffert, finished fourth as the 9-5 second choice, followed by Ace of Clubs. Moonlit Sonata was withdrawn early Saturday. Wynstock gave Baffert his eighth win in the last 10 runnings of the Los Alamitos Futurity. Allred, who owns Los Alamitos, co-owns Wynstock with Jack Liebau, the track’s vice president. Wynstock was purchased for $700,000 at a 2-year-olds in training sale in Florida in April. Wynstock was fourth and fifth in sprints in his first two starts in August and late September before winning his debut around two turns in a maiden race at a mile at 13-1 on Oct. 15 at Santa Anita, the first time he was ridden by Frey. “He’s a one-dimensional kind of horse,” Baffert said. “In the mornings, he can be lazy. “Coming into the paddock, he looked good. He looked like he could run in the Champion of Champions. He’s a big strong horse.” The $750,000 Champion of Champions is one of the top races at Los Alamitos for Quarter Horses and a race Baffert won as a trainer when he had a Quarter Horse stable in the 1980s. Baffert has trained Thoroughbreds exclusively since late 1991. As a jockey, Baffert rode for Allred in the 1970s. The Los Alamitos Futurity was their biggest win as a team with a Thoroughbred. “He’s a serious horse, Doc,” Baffert said to Allred in the winner’s circle. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.