Horse racing newsletter: So why all the big fields at Los Al? (2024)

Winner–Sharona Sunset B.m.5 by Sierra Sunset out of Sharoana, by Lord Carson. Bred by George Schmitt & Mary Clare Schmitt (CA). Trainer: Marcia Stortz. Owner: Schmitt, George and Mary Clare. Mutuel Pool $99,040 Exacta Pool $61,183 Superfecta Pool $29,627 Trifecta Pool $37,892. Claimed–Norma's Love by Guillermina Mena. Trainer: Yanet Rodriguez. Claimed–Laker Jet by Saldana, Reed and Unruh, John. Trainer: Reed Saldana. Scratched–Be Lifted Up, Starza.

SHARONA SUNSET attended the pace three deep early then chased the three wide around the turn, drew alongside the top pair in upper stretch, took control near the three-sixteenths, cleared then drifted inward through the final furlong and held off the runner-up. PASITO tracked widest early, took the turn five then four wide, drifted to the inside in the stretch, rallied inside the winner but was not enough. VIDALIA stalked the pace from inside, tipped out into the stretch, angled out at the three-sixteenths pole and bested the rest. NORMA'S LOVE tracked three wide then angled out in upper stretch and finished evenly in the late stages. TIZ THE STANDARD traveled four wide into the turn, angled down to the two path around the bend and lacked a serious bid. LAKER JET angled out on the turn, exited five wide and improved position but failed to threaten. CHARLOTTE LOUISE vied for the lead from between foes then dueled outside a rival around the turn and into the stretch, vied between foes in the lane and weakened in the final furlong. LUV IS ALL U NEED chased outside a rival, angled in on the turn, angled out with a furlong to go and could not rally. COPPER COWGIRL vied early from inside, dueled with CHARLOTTE LOUISE around the turn and into the stretch then weakened in the late stages. UNION SMARTIE chased five wide into the turn then four wide leaving the bend and never made an impact.

Winner–Vangogo B.f.4 by Gio Ponti out of Lac Du Printemps, by Meadowlake. Bred by Frank A. Penn (KY). Trainer: Jonathan Wong. Owner: R3 Racing LLC. Mutuel Pool $98,867 Daily Double Pool $18,009 Exacta Pool $61,673 Superfecta Pool $35,464 Trifecta Pool $43,512. Scratched–Derby Luck.

VANGOGO sped clear to set the pace up the backstretch, drew away around the turn, widened in upper stretch and remained well clear under a few taps of right-handed urging. LITTLE MISS BELLE chased from inside, came out into the stretch, whittled the gap on the winner late and proved second best. M FAST traveled off the pace early, went four wide into the turn, five wide into the stretch, produced a mild rally and outfinished FIERCE KITTY for the show. FIERCE KITTY bumped twice from outside at the start, took the turn three then four wide and got outkicked for the show honors. SIENA SILK pinballed leaving the gate, chased off the rail, three wide into the turn then moved to the two path, angled in at the top of the lane and lacked the necessary response. LISTEN LINDA chased two wide then outside a rival, a bit off the rail into the stretch and never rallied. PALM D'ORO broke in and bumped rival leaving the gate, chased three wide and weakened. TICO TIME saved ground then angled out in the lane and proved no menace. SOMETHING CHATTER raced four then five wide on the turn and was never a factor. SLAMIN' DADDY broke in, trailed into the stretch and was always outrun.

SAVING SOPHIE brushed from outside at the start, tracked off the rail, three deep into the stretch, tipped out at the top of the lane, closed from outside and inhaled STRADARI to get up late. STRADARI took control early, met bid around the turn and turned away foe at the five-sixteenths pole, kicked clear in upper stretch but was reeled in by the winner. RICKIE NINE TOE'S in range outside a rival, made a mild bid around the turn from outside but could not match strides entering the stretch, chased the top pair through the final furlong and held the show. KALLINIKI broke in and brushed, raced between rivals early, five deep into the stretch and could not rally. ICE KITTY tracked five deep early, six wide into the stretch and improved position. DAIRY KID broke in and bumped rival, settled between foes, four deep into the stretch, drifted inward in the lane and never responded when called upon. QUEEN VERRAZANO bumped both sides leaving the gate, forwardly placed near the inside, saved ground around the turn and weakened. EXCESS COIL up close early outside the leader, lost ground around the bend and faded. BALLET ROYALTY brushed leaving the gate, chased between then was crowded from the half-mile pole to the sevensixteenths, went three wide into the lane and had little left.

ALPINE THUNDER stalked off the rail, three wide then four wide into the stretch, rallied to the front at the three-sixteenths, kicked clear and won going away under a drive. CHAMPAGNE PEGASUS settled off the pace, raced two wide into the turn, four wide into the stretch, rallied and was along for the place. THELUTEISMINE forwardly placed from the outside, bid outside the top pair at the three-eighths pole, challenged into the stretch, could not go on with the winner in the final furlong and was edged for the place. ROWDY OH hustled early from inside, set the pace up the backstretch, dueled around the turn, was overtaken at the three-sixteenths pole and flattened to a minor award. RUNAWAY KRISTIN showed early speed then chased between rivals, entered the turn in the two path, dropped back around the bend, exited the bend two to three wide and kept on through the final furlong. SIR WILLIAMS DREAM lacked early speed, angled into the two path, came out into the stretch and passed tired rivals. STANDING O chased two wide into the lane and weakened. PROUD LION chased outside the leader, headed rival into the turn and dueled for command around the bend, vied between exiting the turn and weakened in the lane. OMPH off the pace early, three wide into the lane and was never a factor. UNHINGED raced between rivals then was crowded early, angled to the inside then came a bit off the rail into the stretch and made no impact.

VARDA went four wide through the first turn, settled at the back of the field, traveled three then four wide around the second turn, closed outside the leader, drew alongside at the sixteenth pole and cleared late. KALYPSO set the pace in the two path around the first turn, showed the way up the backstretch, headed by rival at the three-eighths, lost command soon after, chased into the stretch then inherited the lead when PRINCESS NOOR was pulled up approaching the quarter pole, led clear through the lane, clung to a short lead at the sixteenth pole and yielded to the winner. NASREDDINE stalked off the inside, two to three wide around the far turn and finished evenly for the show honors. ASTUTE stalked the pace from inside, two wide into the stretch and lacked a rally. PRINCESS NOOR stalked outside the leader in the early stages, closed in and headed rival at the three-eighths pole, took control soon after, cleared rival past the five-sixteenths, eased and steered outside at the top of the lane, pulled up in upper stretch, then walked into the van under her own power following the race.

ABSOLUTE ANNA dropped back early, went two then three wide around the turn, angled to the fence in the stretch, rallied along the inside and got up in time. LADY MYSTIFY vied between for the lead, drifted out in the lane, led late but was caught by the winner. FREEDOM FLYER broke in, tracked off the rail, three wide into the stretch, angled inward in the drive, closed but got outkicked by the top pair. LUNATIC chased wide up the backstretch, four wide into the lane, tipped out in upper stretch, chased within striking distance through the final furlong but could not summon the needed late kick. HONOR AMERICA vied for the lead from inside then a bit off the rail into the stretch, drifted out in the lane and yielded late. JUMP INTO THE FIRE broke in and bumped rival, up close early four deep, chased five wide into the lane, then flattened out deep stretch. CHROME OF OUR OWN angled in nearing the turn, saved ground along the inside then moved off the rail a bit into the stretch, steered out further in the lane and never threatened. KIND BUT SHE LIES chased from inside and weakened. BACKTOFLASH forced in and shuffled back at the start and never got involved. MISS MELODY bumped leaving the gate, vied three deep then drifted out into the stretch and tired.

PSYCHO DAR stumbled leaving the gate, chased outside the top trio, raced four wide around the turn, forced out by SHADY EMPIRE at the quarter pole, lugged in past the eighth pole, battled down to the wire and dug in late to edge rival. SHADY EMPIRE chased outside the top pair, vied three deep around the turn, came out and bothered rival at the quarter pole, continued to duel to the eighth pole then got forced in when PSYCHO DAR lugged inward, fought back from inside in the closing moments and just missed. SINGLE ME OUT threw head and stumbled leaving the gate, trailed the field early, went four to five wide around the turn, rallied late and got up for the show. JOHNNY PODRES stumbled at the start, settled off the pace, traveled two wide or outside a rival into the stretch, steered to the inside, rallied and got edged for the show. SOUND JUDGMENT stalked the pace up the backstretch, traveled two wide then tipped out in upper stretch and went evenly in the late stages. BOUND TO BET showed early speed then vied for the lead between foes to the stretch and weakened. FLICFLAC chased off the rail, angled in and saved ground around the turn but could not rally when needed. MON CAMO had early speed from the inside, vied with outside foes around the turn and into the stretch then gave way. DETANGLER tracked wide up the backstretch, three to four wide around the turn, drifted inward in the stretch and had little left. FOLLOWING AN INQUIRY, THE STEWARDS RULED THAT SHADY EMPIRE CAME OUT AND INTERFERED WITH PSYCHO DAR AT THE QUARTER POLE AND THEN PYSCHO DAR LUGGED IN AND FORCED SHADY EMPIRE INWARD PAST THE EIGHTH POLE, BOTH INCIDENTS OFFSET EACH OTHER AND THERE WOULD BE NO CHANGE IN THE ORDER OF FINISH.

OUR SILVER OAK mid-pack two wide around the first turn, went outside a rival then between on the backstretch, crept up three wide around the far turn, drew alongside rival at the quarter pole, cleared past the three-sixteenths, drifted out with a sixteenth to go and remained clear. STRIKE ME DOWN went four wide around the first turn then chased outside a rival, bid three deep at the seven-sixteenths pole, took control around the turn, overtaken by the winner in the stretch and stayed on to secure the place. MARGOT'S BOY dueled for the lead from outside, lost command at the three-eighths, chased along the inside into the drive and held the show. GO DADDY GO unhurried in the beginning, traveled in the two path then angled out into the stretch, showed a mild response and picked up a minor award. POPULAR KID traveled four deep around the first turn, remained off the rail up the backstretch, asked four wide around the far turn and flattened out in the final furlong. CAJUN TREASURE stalked the speedy pair from inside and never produced a bid. SEEKING REFUGE bobbled leaving the gate, reserved off the inside, three deep into the far turn, five wide into the stretch and could not rally. COLOUR ME HAPPY (GB) went three deep around the first turn, tracked outside a rival then between foes, spun three wide off the far turn and never threatened. MUGARITZ dueled from inside, dropped back around the far turn and tired.

SHIMMER ME TIMBERS dueled outside of LUCKYS LAST STAND, drifted out a bit leaving the turn, cleared in upper stretch and inched away late. TRIBAL NATION stalked outside the top pair, ranged up three then four wide into the stretch, lacked the needed late punch to best the winner but edged LUCKYS LAST STAND for the place. LUCKYS LAST STAND dueled for the lead from inside into and around the turn, chased the winner through the lane and got outkicked for second. BEN'S A GOALIE chased off the inside then angled into the two path, traveled two wide or outside a rival around the bend, swung out nearing the stretch and summoned a mild late bid. STALKING SHADOW raced off the rail then between rivals at the three-eighths pole, came off the turn four wide and never made an impact. FATHER O'FLAHERTY in range early and angled over to the inside, traveled a bit off the rail into the stretch, came out in the drive and flattened. MUSICAL GEM veered in at the start, traveled two wide into the turn, three wide into the lane and passed tired rivals. HARD METAL chased near the back of the pack early, four then five wide around the turn and never threatened. ROBIN'S LEGACY angled in early, went two wide into the drive and had nothing left. MANCUSO AT THE MIC saved ground off the pace and was never a factor.