Terry Turrell
Dec 10, 2009, 08:34 PM ET
Saturday, Dec. 12, Los Alamitos
The Low-Down: Those willing to wager against the sensational Freaky in Saturday night's $750,000 Champion Of Champions can expect hefty mutuel prices if they can beat the 3-5 morning-line favorite.
Freaky, ranked No. 1 in the HorseplayerPro-AQHA older horse poll, is seeking his fifth consecutive daylight victory and is the shortest-priced morning-line favorite ever established by Los Alamitos track announcer Ed Burgart for the 440-yard Champion Of Champions.
Defending champion Jess You and I is the co-second choice at 8-1 along with Foose and Fighter On Fire. Here is the field in post position order:
Our Eyes: Let's take a look at the field from the rail out, with morning-line odds.
1. MASTERS CALL (20-1): He is a definite must use in the exotics. The late-running 4-year-old won the 2007 Los Alamitos Juvenile Stakes from this post and has been much improved in his last two outs. He won an under card stakes race on Oct. 31 at the 440-yard distance while only running .05 slower than Fighter On Fire did when capturing the Bank Of America Challenge Championship the same night.
2. LITTLE BIT OF BAJA (15-1): He was the runner-up in this race last year but hasn't looked nearly as sharp this year when capturing one of four starts. He is not particularly quick away from the gate and can't afford early trouble from this inside post.
3. FIGHTER ON FIRE (8-1): He bravely won the Bank Of America Challenge Championship by a nose over Little Bit Of Baja in his last start six weeks ago but has been no match in two tries vs. Freaky this year.
4. FOOSE (8-1): He is the lone sophom*ore in this field and earned a solid 113 Equibase speed figure when capturing the Los Alamitos Super Derby over a slower-than-normal Los Alamitos racing surface last Nov. 7. The main question is whether Foose can carry his speed another 40 yards (he has never tried 440).
5. JESS YOU AND I (8-1): He is the defending champion who turned in one of his few sub-par race when seventh after a clean start in the Los Alamitos Invitational Championship two months ago. He since worked a fast 17.7 from the gate for 350 yards and set the 440-yard track record of 20.944 in last year's Champion Of Champions.
6. FREAKY (3-5): Unless he makes a major miscue from the gate, this sensational 4-year-old gelding figures to crush his opposition. He has already set track records of 17.14 for 350 yards and 19.15 for 400 yards this year and came within .02 of breaking Jess You And I's 440-yard track record in scoring a 1 1/4-length win in the Los Alamitos Championship. He registered an exceptional 17.4 gate drill for 350 yards last Nov. 17.
7. STYLISH JESS BR (30-1): She is the least likely contender in this field. The talented mare faded to fifth in the Z Wayne Griffin Directors Trial in her last outing and ran seventh in last year's Champion Of Champions. She is best suited at 400 yards.
8. HAWK IN THE CITY (10-1): Although winless in nine starts this year, this late-running gelding has been second and third respectively in his last two outs against Freaky and was a fast-closing second vs. My Lady First after early trouble in the Z Wayne Griffin Directors Trial. He can definitely light the board.
9. SEPARATE BET (15-1): He is the sleeper, especially if the track comes up wet as many expect. He won the Leo Stakes in the slop at Remington Park by 1 1/4 lengths last March and can fire fresh. He disappointed in his last two Los Alamitos stakes and comes into this race with a three-month freshening.
10. MY LADY FIRST (20-1): She can fly away from the gate but the 440-yard distance is a big concern. She barely prevailed after a super start when posting a head victory in the Z Wayne Griffin Directors Trial.
The Bottom Line: Freaky figures to live up to his name once again but the expected win mutuel of $2.80 is too low for a straight bet. Jess You And I, Masters Call, Separate Bet and Hawk In The City offer value in the exotics. I will make exacta and trifeca keys with Freaky over those.
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