Sacred Ovation sets track record in Seal Beach

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. – The weather was warm, and the track was fast Friday at Los Alamitos, where claiming sprinter Sacred Ovation set a six-furlong track record in the $45,000 Seal Beach overnight stakes, winning by 6 1/2 lengths in 1:07.92.

The Seal Beach was the richest of five starter-allowance races for claiming horses – the Starter Showdown Series – on closing day of the 10-day fall Thoroughbred meet. The temperature Friday was 93 degrees. The win by Sacred Ovation in the $25,000 claiming starter was his sixth from 25 starts. He is 3 for 3 at Los Alamitos. Sacred Ovation ($5) is trained by Ricky Agarie and was ridden by Edwin Maldonado. Even-money favorite Basmati finished second. The previous record for six furlongs was 1:08.18. The Seal Beach was race 3; four other starter allowances also were run.

Race 1, the $35,000 Long Beach Stakes for $16,000 claiming fillies and mares at one mile, was won by Light Striker ($19). She won by more than 10 lengths under Mario Gutierrez. Rafael Becerra trains Light Striker, claimed two starts back for $16,000. She earned $21,000 on Friday.

Race 2, the $30,000 Buena Park Stakes for $8,000 claiming sprinters, was won by the Doug O’Neill-trained Ultimate Luck ($18.40). O’Neill also started odds-on favorite Not Enough Eddie, who finished third. Felipe Valdez rode Ultimate Luck.

Race 4, the $30,000 Westminster Stakes for $8,000 claiming filly-and-mare sprinters, was won by Rock N Bunny ($7.80) under Valdez. Rock N Bunny was claimed last out for $16,000; she earned $18,000 in winning the starter allowance.

Race 5, the $35,000 Rossmoor Stakes for $16,000 claiming horses at one mile, was won by Fancy Shoes ($19). Trained by Dan Hendricks, she was ridden by Fernando Perez. Favorites blanked in the closing-day 50-cent pick five, which returned $5,082.65 to 34 winning tickets. The pool was $201,002. Fernando Perez was the meet’s leading rider. He won 15 races, six in front of second-leading rider Tiago Pereira.

Bob Baffert was leading trainer with six wins. Four Baffert wins by were by 2-year-olds, including stakes by Mt Veeder and Toews on Ice. O’Neill and Steve Miyadi ranked second with five wins each. The Southern California racing circuit now returns to Santa Anita, where five Grade 1 races are scheduled for Saturday, including the Zenyatta Stakes featuring Beholder.