Three stakes – including a pair of graded races – highlight the 2021 Summer Thoroughbred Festival at Los Alamitos.
The seven-day season will begin Friday, June 25 and continue through Monday, July 5. Racing will be conducted Friday-Sunday the first week (June 25-27) and Friday-Monday (July 2-5) the final four days. Post time will be 1 p.m.
The final Saturday (July 3) of the meet will feature the Grade III, $150,000-guaranteed Los Alamitos Derby while the main event on closing day (Monday, July 5) is the Grade II, $200,000 Great Lady M. Stakes.
Captured a year ago by 7-1 shot Sneaking Out, the Great Lady M. is for fillies and mares – 3-year-olds & up – at 6 ½ furlongs.
Won by the Bob Baffert—trained Uncle Chuck in 2020, the Los Alamitos Derby for 3-year-olds will be contested at 1 1/8 miles.
The other stakes race to be offered during the meet is the $100,000 Bertrando for 3-year-olds & up bred or sired in California. The one-mile race will be run Saturday, June 26.
Grandstand admission is $3 and $2 for seniors 62 and older. Clubhouse admission is $5 and Vessels Club is $10. Tickets can also be purchased online at http://losalamitos.com/. Los Alamitos offers free general parking. Preferred parking is $5.
The wagering menu includes a pair of $1 Pick 4’s on races 2-5 and the final four races along with a $2 Pick Six as well as the popular Players’ Pick 5 – a 50-cent minimum bet with a reduced takeout rate of 14% rate – on the first five races.
The Pick Six will have the standard 70-30 split with 70% of the pool going to those tickets with six winners with the remaining 30% going to tickets with five of six winners.
There will also be a handicapping contest Sunday, July 4 and the Los Alamitos Racing Association will offer a cash prize and a pair of berths in the 2022 National Thoroughbred Racing Association Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas.
Cost to enter is $500. Of that amount, $100 will be placed in the contest prize pool with the remaining $400 going towards a live money wagering card.
Tournament races will include the entire card at Los Alamitos with permitted wagers including win, place, show, exactas, trifectas and daily doubles. Each entry must bet at least $50 on a minimum of five races that day, but there is no wagering limit.
The player with the highest bankroll at the end of the day will be declared the winner and the player with the second highest bankroll will be the runner-up.
The winner will receive 50% of the prize pool. The remaining payoffs: 20% (2nd place), 15% (3rd place), 7.5 % (4th place) and 7.5% (Most Money Wagered).
Entries for opening day of the Summer Thoroughbred Festival will be taken Tuesday, June 22.
Courtesy photo