Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who won the Hollywood/CashCall Futurity a record six times at Hollywood Park, has an excellent chance to add to that total with the undefeated Dortmund in the $500,000 Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 20.
The 1-1/16-mile event for 2-year-olds will be run for the first time at Los Alamitos after 33 renewals (1981-2013) at Hollywood Park. There are only five entrants, headed by Dortmund, an early favorite for next year's Kentucky Derby.
Mr. Z, looking for a breakthrough for trainer D. Wayne Lukas after four runner-up finishes in graded stakes, is the main threat. The Futurity is the eighth of nine races with a scheduled post time of 4 p.m. PST.
Won previously by stars such as Snow Chief, A.P. Indy, Best Pal, Real Quiet, Point Given, Lookin At Lucky, and Shared Belief, the Futurity is part of the "Road to the Kentucky Derby'' series. The winner receives 10 points toward a possible spot in the starting gate next May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Owned by Kaleem Shah, Dortmund is already a winner in Louisville.
The son of 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown won a one-mile allowance/optional claimer by 7-3/4 lengths at Churchill, a Nov. 29 victory that came four weeks after a 4-3/4-length debut win at Santa Anita Park.
Since returning to California, Dortmund, who is out of the Tale of the Cat mare Our Josephina, has worked five furlongs twice at Santa Anita. The $140,000 May purchase was most recently clocked in 1:00 Dec. 15, the fastest of 33 drills on the morning.
The leading trainer at Los Alamitos' winter Thoroughbred meet entering the final four days, Baffert's most recent Futurity victory came with Liaison in 2011. His other winners were Real Quiet (1997), Captain Steve (1999), Point Given (2000), Pioneerof the Nile (2008) and Lookin At Lucky (2009).
A week after winning the Starlet at Los Alamitos for a record eighth time with Take Charge Brandi, fellow Hall of Fame trainer Lukas will seek to add a fifth Futurity score with Mr. Z.
Owned by Zayat Stables, Mr. Z missed by a nose to the undefeated Ocho Ocho Ocho in the $1 million Delta Jackpot Nov. 22 at Delta Downs in Vinton, La.
A son of Malibu Moon and the Storm Cat mare Stormy Bear, Mr. Z has banked $439,726 in seven starts. He was fifth of 11 in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile won by Texas Red Nov. 1 at Santa Anita. In his only other grade I attempt, the $135,000 yearling purchase was second behind runaway winner Carpe Diem in the Breeders' Futurity Oct. 4 at Keeneland.
If Mr. Z is successful Saturday, Lukas, whose earlier Futurity victories include Stalwart (1981), Tejano (1987), Grand Canyon (1989), and Tactical Cat (1998), would become the first trainer to win the Starlet and Futurity in the same year.
In his final serious prep for the Futurity, Mr. Z, whose only win came in his June 28 debut against maidens at Churchill Downs, worked five furlongs Dec. 14 in 1:00 flat at Los Alamitos.
No Problem stretches out for P and G Stables and trainer Michael McCarthy after consecutive sprint wins, including a 17-1 upset in the Bob Hope Stakes Nov. 15 at Del Mar.
The son of Munnings finished eighth in his Santa Anita debut Sept. 27, then won easily against $75,000 maidens a month later in Arcadia. He surprised Alright Alright in the seven-furlong Hope, which was formerly run as the Hollywood Prevue at Hollywood Park.
No Problem and Dortmund were supplemented to the Futurity for $10,000 with an additional $10,000 required to start.
Firing Line, owned by Arnold Zetcher -- who campaigned Liaison -- and trained by Simon Callaghan, will stretch out for the first time after an impressive maiden victory at 6-1/2 furlongs Nov. 30 at Del Mar.
Bench Warrant also tries two turns after winning once in two sprint races for Doubledown Stables and trainer John Sadler, runner-up in the 2013 Futurity with Candy Boy. The Street Boss colt has yet to compete on dirt, his starts coming four months apart on the Polytrack at Del Mar. Bench Warrant won July 19, then was third behind Tizcano and Mischief Clem in an optional claimer Nov. 21.