Litmus Test heads Baffert trio in Los Alamitos Futurity

Fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), Litmus Test tops a trio of Bob Baffert-trained runners in Saturday’s $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) at Fair Grounds. Six are entered for the Road to the Kentucky Derby Challenge series qualifier, which will award points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale to the top five finishers if there are no scratches.

Preakness (G1) winner Journalism, runner-up in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont (G1), captured last year’s Los Alamitos Futurity for Michael McCarthy, but Baffert has dominated the 1 1/16-race that used to be called the Hollywood Futurity. 

The Hall of Fame trainer, a six-time Kentucky Derby winner, has won a record 14 editions, including seven consecutive from 2014-20, and Baffert will also send last-out maiden scorer Provenance and maiden Blacksmith to this year’s Los Alamitos Futurity.

Juan Hernandez, who has ridden all three Baffert trainees in their last start, has opted for Litmus Test, a bay colt by Nyquist. The debut maiden winner followed with a fourth in the Del Mar Futurity (G1), and Litmus Test shipped east and finished third to Ted Noffey in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland prior to the Juvenile.

Provenance, a son of Into Mischief, is the first foal out of two-time champion and $4.7 million earner Monomoy Girl. The Spendthrift Farm homebred exits a frontrunning maiden triumph the second time out over six furlongs at Santa Anita in late September, and Kyle Frey picks up the assignment. 

Kazura Kimuri will ride Blacksmith, a Liam’s Map colt who has finished second and fifth in his two outings. 

Captivator, who exits a 10-length romp over optional maiden claiming rivals, will stretch to two turns for John Sadler, and Hector Berrios rides the promising son of Charlatan. 

Two-time Kentucky Derby winner Doug O’Neill has entered last-out maiden winner Acknowledgemeplz, and the maiden American King completes the field.