Rowan Ward
The early stages of the Kentucky Derby trail go to Southern California on Saturday, December 11, 2021, for the Los Alamitos Futurity. The race covers a mile and a sixteenth on the Los Alamitos dirt. It offers a $300,000 purse, as well as Road to the Kentucky Derby, points to the top four finishers, allocated 10-4-2-1.
The race dates back to 1981 when it was named the Hollywood Futurity. The race moved to Los Alamitos in 2014 after Hollywood Park closed at the end of 2013. Though the only winner to also win the Kentucky Derby has been Real Quiet (1997), other greats to win it include champion juvenile Shared Belief (2013), super-sires Into Mischief (2007) and A. P. Indy (1991), and Hall of Famer Point Given (2000).
Where to Bet the Los Alamitos Futurity
Though it is important to pick the right horse in the Los Alamitos Futurity, it matters just as much to find the right place to bet the Los Alamitos Futurity online. There are many online sportsbooks, and it can be difficult to select the best one. Our betting experts are here to guide you and have identified the best online racebooks.
Our recommended sportsbooks all have the basics of a great wagering experience: smooth user interface trusted deposit and cash-out features, and real Vegas odds. Sportsbooks also offer excellent incentives for playing the races, including sign-up bonuses, deposit bonuses, and horse racing rebates.
The Best Online Racebooks
It only takes a few minutes to learn about the best online sportsbooks and get to know the bonuses they offer. Choose the ones that suit your betting style the best, create your accounts, and be ready to make the maximum profit on the Los Alamitos Derby!
Los Alamitos Futurity Horses and Odds
This is the official field for the 2021 Los Alamitos Futurity including post positions, trainers, and jockeys:
- Olympic Legend (Luis Mendez/Jose Valdivia, Jr.)
- Durante (Doug O’Neill/Umberto Rispoli)
- Messier (Bob Baffert/Flavien Prat)
- Barossa (Bob Baffert/Juan Hernandez)
- Slow Down Andy (Doug O’Neill/Mario Gutierrez)
Remember that odds at the track will fluctuate all the way until the time the horses break from the gate. You have no guarantee to lock in the best odds. Your best bet in the Los Alamitos Futurity is to track the odds at the top online sportsbooks and place your bet once you see an overlay on the horse you like.
 |  |  |
|
| Messier | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Barossa | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Durante | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Slow Down Andy | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Olympic Legend | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Free Los Alamitos Futurity Picks
Once you have signed up for the sportsbook that best fits your needs, it is time to handicap the race. These are the best horses in the 2021 Los Alamitos Futurity.
Los Alamitos Futurity Favorites
#3 Messier is the likely favorite in the Los Alamitos Futurity, and #4 Barossa will also take significant action at the betting windows. After all, they are both trained by Bob Baffert, who has won the Los Alamitos Futurity all seven years since it moved to Los Alamitos, and also six times when it was contested at Hollywood.
Messier keeps top California rider Flavien Prat in the irons. Prat rode Messier to his maiden victory at Santa Anita in October, as well as to his victory in the Bob Hope (G3) last month at Del Mar. He will likely be near the lead since he stretches out from a sprint to a route, and with blinkers coming on. He is bred well to stretch out and ran well enough on debut to think he can handle Los Alamitos.
Barossa, who keeps regular rider Juan Hernandez, has three two-turn races out of the four in his career, including a one-mile maiden win on October 15. This may give him a fitness advantage over his stablemate. He proved his tactical speed two back when he broke his maiden, this is a class drop from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) last out, and rider Hernandez has started Los Al sharp.
The Rest of the Field
#2 Durante, one of two for Doug O’Neill, looks the most likely pacesetter in the race. It took him three tries to break his maiden, but he improved two back when trying a route for the first time, and then last out he led at every call in a one-mile maiden at Del Mar. He keeps Umberto Rispoli in the irons, and if the speed advantage from the first week of the meet continues, he has a legitimate chance.
#5 Slow Down Andy is the other entrant from the O’Neill barn. He could get a clean trip from the outside and will likely be forward on the stretch out from a sprint. However, he makes his first attempt against open company, as both of his starts have come against California-breds.
Rail-drawn #1 Olympic Legend rounds out the field. The Luis Mendez trainee makes his first attempt at two turns, something that may suit him given the race records of his two winning siblings. However, his only victory came in an early-season race going five furlongs, and his recent defeats suggest that he may not have progressed with his class.
Los Alamitos Futurity Free Picks
Now that you know where and how to bet the race online, here are the best bets for Saturday’s 2021 Los Alamitos Futurity:
- $20 to win – #4 Barossa
- $1 exacta – #4 Barossa over #2 Durante
- $0.50 trifecta key – #4 Barossa over #2 Durante and #3 Messier
