Soi Phet wins $200,000 Mile and is now 2 for 2 at Los Alamitos

Returning to Los Alamitos for the first time he was an easy winner of the Bertrando Stakes, the opening day feature of the inaugural Summer Thoroughbred Festival July 3, Soi Phet was even more dominant Saturday in the $200,750 Los Alamitos Mile on September 6.
Never far off the pace set by even-money favorite Masochistic, the 6-year-old Tizbud gelding exploded in the final quarter of a mile to win by 7 ¼ lengths under jockey Kent Desormeaux in a track record 1:33.95.
The final time eclipsed the previous record Soi Phet of 1:34.50 set in his 3 ¾ length Bertrando victory.
Trained by Leonard Powell for a partnership that includes Gerald and Sandra Benowitz, Mathilde Powell and Paul Viskovich, Soi Phet won for the eighth time in 29 starts, increasing his bankroll to $472,686.
Seven of those wins - and well over $400,000 of his earnings - have come in 13 races since he was claimed for $16,000 by his current connections more than 15 months ago at Hollywood Park.
Rebounding from a subpar effort in the Grade II San Diego Handicap July 26 at Del Mar, the California-bred, who is out of the Siberian Summer mare Summer Jersey, returned $11.60, $4.20 and $3.60 as the 9-2 third choice in the field of eight.
"I was very confident,'' said Powell. "This horse was training very well. I had to back off a little bit on him at Del Mar. When we got back to Santa Anita Tuesday, and after only two days of galloping over a track that is supposed to be similar to this one, I could see a difference.
"He's nominated to the (Grade I, $300,000) Awesome Again (Stakes Sept. 27 at Santa Anita), a race he was third in last year, so we'll see how he comes out of this and go from there.''
Desormeaux, who is 3-for-3 aboard the dark bay, was extremely impressed.

"The first thing I asked the outrider was if we broke the track record because it felt like it,'' said the Hall of Fame jockey. "He was like a machine out there, begging me to let him go and he took off when I let him.''
Stretching out after three consecutive wins at Churchill Downs and Del Mar by a combined 21 lengths, Masochistic saved the place by a half-length over 13-1 shot Tonito M. Masochistic paid $3.40 and $3 while the show price on Tonito M., who also finished third behind undefeated stablemate Shared Belief in the Grade II, $500,500 Los Alamitos Derby July 5 in his local debut, was $4.60.
Sky Kingdom, winner of the American Flag Stakes here July 4, was a head behind Tonito M. in fourth and was followed by Wrightwood, Rock Me Baby, Clubhouse Ride and Forward March. Kate's Event was scratched.

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