Streaking Red Flag Eyes Futurity

Photo courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire

By Emily Shields for TVG

The prestigious Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) will take place on December 19 at Los Alamitos. The 1 1/16-mile contest has produced such top runners as A. P. Indy, Real Quiet, Point Given, and Into Mischief, and the $200,000 race will have a chance to add yet another name to that list this weekend.

On the rail is the Red Flag, who has won two in a row, including the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar by 7 ¼ lengths. John Shirreffs trains the son of Tamarkuz, who was a $220,000 yearling purchase and is now two for three lifetime. He broke his maiden sprinting on the grass at Santa Anita in October, which left him as a 10-1 shot in the Bob Hope. He will be nowhere close to that price in the Futurity.

He faces a solid field, including Petruchio to his outside. The son of Into Mischief ran third twice on dirt before switching to grass and breaking his maiden for trainer Richard Mandella. He goes back to dirt for this, but the pedigree – being out of a Distorted Humor mare from the female family of Funny Cide – suggests that should be no problem. Mike Smith will be aboard, as he was in the maiden win over a mile.

Trainer Bob Baffert has won this race a staggering 12 times, including the last six in a row. He brings in the $1 million yearling Spielberg, who was twice Grade 1 placed before breaking his maiden on November 1. He was the heavy favorite in the Bob Hope but finished fourth, beaten 9 ½ lengths by Red Flag. The son of Union Rags gets a new rider in Flavien Prat.

Weston missed the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) after winning the Best Pal (G2) and running third in the Del Mar Futurity. The son of Hit It a Bomb cost a mere $7,000 as a yearling, but has already earned back $152,000 for trainer Ryan Hanson. With Drayden Van Dyke sticking with Positivity, Weston picks up Tyler Baze.

Positivity is a California-bred who won the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar under the tutelage of Luis Mendez. He has since moved to be with Patrick Gallagher, and ran second in the rich Golden State Juvenile on November 7. This will be his first try around two turns, but the son of Paynter is versatile and can either sit off the pace or be closer.

Maiden The Great One rounds out the field. Watch and bet online on every race from Los Alamitos with TVG.