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Thu 09/12/2021 - 10:19 EST

2021 Los Alamitos Futurity Picks

The Kentucky Derby trail visits Los Alamitos Race Course on Saturday, December 11. The day’s feature, the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2). It is a 1 1/16-mile race over the dirt track, and the spoils are rich: a $300,000 purse, as well as Road to the Kentucky Derby points (allotted 10-4-2-1) for the top four finishers.

Though the only Kentucky Derby winner who has won the Los Alamitos Futurity so far has been Real Quiet (1997), many other great horses have won the race. They include Shared Belief (2013), leading stallions Into Mischief (2007) and A. P. Indy (1991), and Hall of Fame inductee Point Given (2000).  Who will join this list?  Read on to find out!

Betting the 2021 Los Alamitos Futurity Online

Though it matters to pick the right horse in the Los Alamitos Futurity, it is even more important to choose the best online racebook for betting the race. With the right online racebook, you can be sure now and in the future that you are getting a great user interface, trusted deposits and cash-outs, and the best Vegas odds.

There are many online racebooks, so finding the best one can be tough. Fortunately, our betting experts are here to help. They have done the research and found the best places to bet the race. They can also help you make the best decision by helping you assess which of the best sportsbooks has the best bonuses and incentives for your wagering style.

The Best Online Racebooks

Once you have read the reviews to learn about your options, you can make a confident and profitable choice.

Los Alamitos Futurity 2021 Field

This is the official field for the 2021 Los Alamitos Futurity including post positions, trainers, and jockeys:

  1. Olympic Legend (Luis Mendez/Jose Valdivia, Jr.)
  2. Durante (Doug O’Neill/Umberto Rispoli)
  3. Messier (Bob Baffert/Flavien Prat)
  4. Barossa (Bob Baffert/Juan Hernandez)
  5. Slow Down Andy (Doug O’Neill/Mario Gutierrez)

Even though racetracks will post morning line odds, you are not guaranteed to get those odds to come post time. Your best bet is to check the top online racebooks in the days leading up to the race. By betting the Los Alamitos Futurity at a racebook, you can lock in fixed odds before the race, and guarantee yourself the best odds as soon as you see them.

Horses bovada betonline gt-bets

Messier

TBA TBA TBA

Barossa

TBA TBA TBA

Durante

TBA TBA TBA

Slow Down Andy

TBA TBA TBA

Olympic Legend

TBA TBA TBA

Los Alamitos Futurity Handicapping

Now that you have created your account with a trusted online sportsbook, you are ready to start handicapping the 2021 Los Alamitos Futurity.

Los Alamitos Futurity Favorites

Trainer Bob Baffert has won the Los Alamitos Futurity all seven times it has been run at Los Alamitos, as well as six times when it was contested at Hollywood Park. He is difficult to beat in this race, and he has two promising entrants in this year’s edition of the race: #3 Messier and #4 Barossa.

Messier keeps Flavien Prat, a top California jockey, in the saddle. Prat knows Messier already, as he rode the colt to a maiden victory in October at Santa Anita as well as a win in the Bob Hope (G3) last month. He should be forward as he stretches out from a sprint to a route, especially since he puts blinkers on. Though he has to prove his stamina, the pedigree suggests he could handle it.

More interesting, however, is his stablemate Barossa. He keeps regular rider Juan Hernandez, who has gotten a strong start at Los Alamitos but does not tend to take as much money as Prat does. Barossa has three two-turn races already, including a maiden win at a mile. He gets a class drop compared to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) last out, and can return to his best here.

The Rest of the Field

The most likely pacesetter in this race is #2 Durante, one of two for trainer Doug O’Neill. Though he needed three tries to break his maiden, he is on the right track: he moved forward when trying two turns for the first time, then wired the field last out at Del Mar. He also keeps Umberto Rispoli, one of the top California riders, in the irons. Speed was good at Los Alamitos last week as well, adding to his intrigue.

#5 Slow Down Andy is the other entrant from the O’Neill stable. The outside gate in a field of five could give him a clean trip, and he could get a forward trip on the step up from sprints to this two-turn trip. However, he has the class to prove, as he has yet to face horses bred outside of California.

#1 Olympic Legend, for trainer Luis Mendez, completes the field. He is another horse trying two turns for the first time; sire Street Boss is more sprint-oriented but his dam’s two other winners both prevailed at a mile or more. However, Olympic Legend has to prove that he is training. His lone victory came over this track, but it was an early-season two-year-old race and his form has disappointed since.

2021 Los Alamitos Futurity Free Picks

  • $20 to win - #4 Barossa
  • $1 exacta - #4 Barossa over #2 Durante  
  • $0.50 trifecta key - #4 Barossa over #2 Durante and #3 Messier

Los Alamitos Futurity Post Time

Post time for the 2021 Los Alamitos Futurity is scheduled for 6:58 pm Eastern, 3:58 pm Pacific, on Saturday, December 11. It will be run as the 9th race of 10 on the Saturday card at Los Alamitos.