Jockey Abel Cedillo earned his second Los Alamitos riding title while trainer Peter Miller topped the trainer standings as the Los Angeles County Fair meet concluded Sunday.
The nine-day season was highlighted by stakes victories by talented 2-year-old Enbarr, a first off the claim score by Manhattan Up, and a gate-to-wire victory by Livingmybestlife, a $50,000 claim earlier in the year at Oaklawn Park.
The 32-year-old Cedillo finished the LACF meet with 18 victories, eight more than closest pursuer Kyle Frey. Cedillo also led the standings during the 2020 LACF Winter season.
Cedillo became the first jockey to win four races in a day twice at Los Alamitos. He first accomplished the feat Sept. 15, 2019, then matched it with a quadruple Sept. 25.
The other riders who have won four races in a day since daytime thoroughbred racing returned to Los Alamitos in 2014 are Drayden Van Dyke (July 6, 2014), Edwin Maldonado (Dec. 13, 2015), Kent Desormeaux (April 23, 2016), Assael Espinoza (Sept. 15, 2018), and Jorge I. Velez (Sept. 22, 2019).
Miller finished the LACF season with seven wins, one more than Steve Miyadi. Hall of Famer Bob Baffert was third with five. The title was the sixth Miller has either shared or won outright at Los Alamitos since daytime thoroughbred racing returned in 2014.
A son of Brody's Cause owned by Baoma Corporation, Enbarr rallied past stablemate Montebello in the final sixteenth of a mile to win the $75,000 Capote Sept. 18 under Van Dyke, giving Baffert a 1-2 finish.
Taken for $80,000 by trainer Jonathan Wong for Brent Malmstrom's KAM Racing Stable, Manhattan Up, a 5-year-old Street Boss gelding, responded to the addition of blinkers in capturing the $100,000 Los Alamitos Special Sept. 19. He was ridden by Tiago Pereira.
Livingmybestlife, a 3-year-old daughter of The Big Beast, has now won three of five since being claimed by John Sadler for Hronis Racing out of her April 8 debut, when she finished second. She was never seriously challenged in her local debut, defeating Stella Noir and three others in the $75,000 Lucky Spell Sept. 24.
The meet's other stakes winners were Loud Mouth – via disqualification – in the E.B. Johnston, and Samurai Charm, who earned her fifth consecutive victory leading throughout in the Dark Mirage.
In terms of business, all-sources handle for the LACF season showed a gain of 18% over comparable days in 2019. There was no September meet at Los Alamitos in 2020.
“While participation as the entry box could have been better, we very much appreciate those owners and trainers who did participate,'' said F. Jack Liebau, vice president of the Los Alamitos Racing Association. “The (handle) increase was more than 10% of what we had aggressively estimated and was attributable to an incredible 65% increase in advance deposit wagering in Southern California.
“We're looking forward to our upcoming Winter meet where purses will be substantially higher.''
Daytime thoroughbred racing will return to Los Alamitos for the seven-day Winter season Friday, Dec. 3.
Racing will be conducted through Sunday, Dec. 12. The Winter meet will be highlighted by a pair of graded races for 2-year-olds – the $300,000 Grade 1 Starlet for fillies Saturday, Dec. 4, and the $200,000 Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity Saturday, Dec. 11. Both will be run at 1 1/16 miles.
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