After a stretch-long duel with pacesetter Stolen Treasure, Last Call London got up in the final strides to win the $101,000 King Glorious Stakes Sunday, the final day of the Winter Thoroughbred meet at Los Alamitos.
The neck victory by the Stay Thirsty gelding gave trainer Peter Miller a sweep of the track's two stakes for California-bred or sired 2-year-olds. He won the $100,000 Soviet Problem a week earlier with Pavel filly Madison Rae, who led throughout to post a 9-1 upset.
Owned by Tom London, Eugene Zondlo, and breeder Terry Lovingier, Last Call London, who was second for most of the journey, prevailed by a neck as the 2-1 second choice. Racing without blinkers for the first time, he completed one mile in 1:38.15 and returned $6 for the victory. He's won twice in eight starts and earned $156,870.
Stolen Treasure, the only member of the field of seven with a win at the distance, wound up five lengths clear of third-place finisher and 19-10 favorite Mici's Express as the 7-2 third choice.
“I kind of left things up to (Hernandez),'' said Miller, who also won the 2022 King Glorious with Giver Not a Taker. “I thought for him to help the horse away from there and get a position. I really liked where we were sitting when I saw the fractions.
With Edwin Maldonado aboard, Stolen Treasure clocked fractions of :24.36 for the opening quarter mile, :48.67 for a half mile and 1:13.59 for six furlongs as the winner drew to within a head in early stretch.
“I felt we were in the right spot if we were good enough,” Miller said. “I felt this horse would run long. He's a big, leggy horse and always acted like a route horse, so I'm glad he got an opportunity today.''
The stakes win was the third of the meet for Hernandez, adding to his daytime meet record total. He now has 17 local successes.
“(Miller) and I both thought this horse wanted to run long,'' said Hernandez. “He relaxed nicely and was very strong in the stretch. (Stolen Treasure) gave him a good battle, but my horse really dug in.''
Last Call London is out of the Empire Way mare Zo Lo's Lov and sold for $37,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings and Horses of Racing Age Sale, where Lovinger's Lovacres Ranch consigned him.
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