America will be in a festive mood come Wednesday, the 4th of July. There will be more people than we can count making the trek to Las Vegas for a good time and some great fireworks shows put on by hotels across the city.
For the younger generation who may not know, the 4th is Independence Day and a national holiday. It took place on July 4, 1776 as the original 13 Colonies declared independence from Great Britain.
The Declaration of Independence was approved and signed in Philadelphia at Independence Hall. Have a safe day and thank you to our troops who enable our freedom.
With the huge crowds coming to Vegas to see the shows, eat, bet and party we want them all to have a safe trip here and back.
With many states opening up legal sports betting and with Gaming Today ready to spread the race and sports betting “news you can bet on” all over our fruited plains, this bettor and handicapper will be doing a special for the Fourth.
Each and every day on our great and informative web site www.gamingtoday.com I handicap all the races from Southern California tracks the days they run, with Los Alamitos TB active this Wednesday instead of its usual Thursday. I will be doing the first five races in this column, the 50-cent pick five.
Hopefully we can help and add some plays to your selections for Wednesday.
Los Alamitos TB
Race 1: The day starts with $20K maidens going six furlongs, the hot trainer Jerry Hollendorfer sends out No. 1 Latitude, 3/1, and he puts the bug boy Asa Espinoza up. Asa has won three of his six rides for this barn.
No. 4 Working gets just his second start and exits a race in which the second place finisher came back to score next out. He will be gunning from the bell as the chalk with Martin Pedroza riding.
No. 5 Mago Blanco is the price play at 5/1 in this six horse field. He makes his first start for Marty Jones, and jockey Santiago Gonzalez can ride this course as good as anyone here. 1-4-5
Race 2: We get straight maidens going a mile. No. 1 Friendly Outthedor will be making a late run and will be legged up after running on the grass in his last three starts.
No. 3 Stonegate gets just his second start. He went down the hill at Santa Anita in his first race and comes into this with a very strong workout on June 29.
Baffert sends out the chalk with No. 6 Regulate who will be overbet as he makes his first start as a gelding. He ran vs. some real good ones last out when finishing third behind Core Beliefs and Longden. He will be odds on. 6-1-3
Race 3: $8K starter allowance runners go five furlongs. No. 2 Louden’s Gray is on a two-race win streak. He makes his first start off the John Martin claim. It’s a good sign he puts this 7yo gelding in this claim-proof spot. He will get a nice chilly stalking trip behind all the speed and pounce down the lane. 2
Race 4: This is a very tough one and that is why we opted to single the previous race. Here we get maiden 2yo fillies going five furlongs. We like it when jockey Drayden Van Dyke rides a first-time starter for Baffert and gets on the $400K purchase No. 5 Lil Miss Moppet who was sired by Uncle Mo. He is listed at 7/2 on the morning line.
No. 2 Keeper Ofthe Stars is a first-time starter for Hollendorfer and he again uses the bug boy Espinoza. This 2yo filly has been working on this track like a runner.
No. 1 Bellafina is said to be special. She cost $800K and Flavien Prat is on the ride for Simon Callaghan. We could be seeing some future stars in this race. 1-2-5
Race 5: $16K claimers travel a mile with No. 1 Above Board the speed on the rail. He gets in with light weight as Espinoza rides this live runner. This 5yo gelding was claimed for $8K out of his win last out and gets a confident boost in class by trainer Mark Glatt.
No. 3 Plum Dandy and No. 4 Ralis both take major drops in class by top barns as they look to dump and maybe pick up the win. Tread carefully with these two droppers.
No. 5 Pappou looks live in this spot at 5/1 for trainer John Sadler. This Tapit gelding broke his maiden for a $50K price tag but never panned out. He was dropped in for $12,500 last out and got the game win back in April. He has been working well for this one off a two month layoff.
No. 6 Sunny Kat also gets the big drop down and is the stablemate of Pappou. He will be closing late. We could see a scratch in this race. If the field is just five runners, hit the all button. If not, we suggest 1-5-6
You can get the entire race card, which includes the late pick four, on our website www.gamingtoday.com, which includes the $100K Bertrando Stakes.
Have fun, get out and make some bets. You could be walking around lucky and not even know it.