Baffert's Litmus Test Wins Los Alamitos Futurity

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — Litmus Test surged to victory in the $200,500 Los Alamitos Futurity on Saturday, securing a 1 1/4-length win and marking Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's ninth triumph in the Grade 2 stakes race for 2-year-olds. The colt, ridden by Juan Hernandez, completed the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:42.38 at the Los Alamitos track, fending off a late challenge from stablemate Blacksmith to cap a 1-2 finish for Baffert.

As the 3-5 favorite in a field of six, Litmus Test paid $3.20 to win and $2.20 to place, with no show wagering offered due to the small lineup. Provenance, another Baffert entry that had set the pace for much of the race, faded to third, 3 1/3 lengths behind the winner. Acknowledgemeplz finished fourth, followed by American King and Captivator.

The win boosted Litmus Test's career record to two victories in five starts, pushing his earnings to $350,168. Owned by a syndicate including SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Stonestreet Stables, the Nyquist colt entered the Futurity off a fourth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar last month, where he trailed the undefeated winner by less than two lengths. Earlier, he had placed third in the...