King of Gosford and Santa Anita racetrack both return from layoffs this week.
Trainer Phil D’Amato’s 5-year-old horse, who has a Grade I at this 1-mile distance among five wins on the Santa Anita turf, makes Saturday’s Grade III American Stakes his first start since a disappointing Del Mar Mile in August.
Santa Anita, off last week following its Classic Meet, begins the two-month Hollywood Meet portion of its winter-spring season at 1 p.m. Friday.
The highlight could be Memorial Day on Monday, May 25, featuring the Grade II Hollywood Gold Cup, Grade I Shoemaker Mile and Grade I Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares.
Emisael Jaramillo will be on King of Gosford on Saturday as the jockey tries to build on leading the Classic Meet rider standings after moving from Florida in December.
• Journalism (Jose Ortiz riding) tries for a third time to beat 2025 Horse of the Year Sovereignty (Junior Alvarado) when the two begin their 4-year-old seasons Saturday in the $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap in Arkansas.
LOS ALAMITOS LEADERS
(Quarter-horse and thoroughbred meet standings, through Sunday)
Jockeys / Wins
Salvador Vargas / 21
Ricardo Ramirez / 21
Edgar Payeras / 20
Henry Reynoso Lopez / 13
Francisco Orduna-Rojas / 12
Trainers / Wins
Jesus Uranga / 26
Jesus Nunez / 12
Jorge Farias / 10
Francisco Rodriguez / 9
Michael Casselman / 9
UPCOMING STAKES
SANTA ANITA
Saturday
• $100,000, Grade III American Stakes, 4-year-olds and up, 1 mile on turf
• $100,000 John Shear Stakes, 3-year-olds, about 6½ furlongs on turf
Sunday
• $100,000, Grade III Santa Maria Stakes, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/16 miles