LOS ALAMITOS MEET

The second Winter meet at Los Alamitos will begin Thursday, Dec. 3. The 12-day season will continue through Sunday, Dec. 20 with racing conducted on a Thursday-Sunday basis. Post time will be 12:30 p.m. Highlighting the Winter season are a pair of Grade I races for 2-year-olds. The $300,000-guaranteed Starlet for fillies will be run Saturday, Dec. 12 while the $350,000-guaranteed Los Alamitos Futurity will be run a week later (Saturday, Dec. 19).

Both races were run for the first time at Los Alamitos last year after being offered previously at the now-closed Hollywood Park (1981-2013).

Take Charge Brandi wrapped up her Eclipse Award as the champion 2-year-old filly with a victory in the 2014 Starlet for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Dortmund edged eventual Kentucky Derby runner-up Firing Line and Mr. Z in last year’s Futurity, giving Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert his record seventh victory in the prestigious race. Dortmund followed up that win with a score in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby some four months later, then was third behind stablemate and 2015 Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner American Pharoah in the Kentucky Derby.

The other two stakes on the Winter menu are one mile contests for 2-year-olds bred or sired in California.

The $100,000-guaranteed Soviet Problem for fillies will be run Saturday, Dec. 5 while the $100,000 King Glorious for colts & geldings will be part of a stakes doubleheader Saturday, Dec. 12.