Today at Los Alamitos: July 12, 2014

TODAY AT LOS ALAMITOS by Richard Eng

Post Time 2 p.m.

Race 1 - 6 furlongs, Purse $16,000, Claiming $10,000, 3-year-olds and up

#4 Sacred Ovation - Speedball draws an outer post, the better place to be so far this meet; Tyler Baze can rate as well as any jockey.

1 Hamiltonian - Claimed by Ryan Hanson, who I don’t know; has a solid 17 percent strike rate first off the claim.

Long Shot - 5 Runaway Wildcat

Race 2 - 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $42,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds and up

4 Next Book - Mike Smith takes over for the money shot; after 4 photo finish losses, Brice Blanc was given the hook, fair or not.

1 Badasmywifeletsmeb - Speed and the rail have not been a good combination this meet; most riders are now trying to get off the wood.

Long Shot - 3 Shaniel

Race 3 - 1 1/16th miles, Purse $17,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

1 Wine Country Wanda - Good horses should have good names, so what do you think; Eric Kruljac tries blinkers on to make the difference.

4 Broadway Bella - Sliding down the maiden claiming ladder to this career low level; need not be much to cash a nice paycheck tonight.

Long Shot - 6 Stracciatella

Race 4 - 7 furlongs, Purse $27,000, Starter allowance $25,000, 3-year-olds and up

7 Timeless Indy - Trainer Richard Baltas has a high octane uncoupled entry; suspect you can get by in the pick 4 by going two deep.

1 Los Bambinos - Turned in a wretched performance on turf in last; key for me is he has a solid dirt resume to rely upon.

Long Shot - 3 Dewrag

Race 5 - 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $42,000, Maiden special weights, 2-year-olds

3 Rowdy Dylan - Outran his 11/1 odds in debut with a solid second; if he improves one step, he’ll be double tough this afternoon.

7 Dr. Vincentstein - Any secret about horses training at Dixie Downs is out the window; FTS from the team of Paul Aguirre-Iggy Puglisi.

Long Shot - 6 Litigation Road

Race 6 - 7 furlongs, Purse $17,000, Claiming $12,500, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

3 Ghost N Your Heart - Keith Craigmyle wins his share of races at Los Alamitos; most are during the cheaper races in quarter-horse meet.

7 Sizzling Lassie - Tepid chalk in a wide open affair; Alonso Quinonez is a good rider who seldom gets any live mounts.

Long Shot - 1 Metaxa

Race 7 - 6 1/2 furlongs, $200,000 Great Lady M., Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

4 Heir Kitty - This is a much more difficult race than it seems; graded stakes placed, she returns from a brief hiatus.

5 Amaranth - Speedball could be lone speed if Tres Belle doesn’t send; is in top form shipping south from Oak Tree at Pleasanton.

Long Shot - 7 Doinghardtimeagain

Race 8 - 1 mile, Purse $16,000, Claiming $10,000, 3-year-olds and up

4 Doubledeesonthetee - End to a tricky pick 6 and pick 4; won last out at Golden Gate Fields, should be in peak form for this.

1 Relatively Correct - The rail post at a mile is a big advantage; it’s a short run to the first turn so ground loss is minimal.

Long Shot - 5 Bright Ocean

Best Bet - 4 Next Book (race 2)

Los Alamitos Friday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 16/6/$36.80; Long Shots, 8/1/$9.20; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Los Alamitos Totals - 100/23/$133.20; Long Shots, 49/10/$140.80; Best Bets, 6/2/$7.20

SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY - #3 Hardest Core (15/1) in race 9 at Delaware Park. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Friday, Countryman was scratched at Belmont Park. Stats - 105/64/$602.80; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick