Yuuba King Primed for Los Alamitos Opener

After Yuuba King failed to qualify for two major futurities last summer at Los Alamitos, the 2-year-old quarter horse was given a few months off to rest and regroup.

When he returned to the races at Hollywood Park in October, he seemed like a different horse, surprising trainer Connie Hall with two impressive victories.

Tonight, Yuuba King will be after his third consecutive triumph, in the California Sires Cup Futurity Trials at Los Alamitos, the opening-night feature of the fall-winter quarter horse meeting.

Five trials for the 350-yard futurity are scheduled tonight and the 10 fastest horses will advance to the $108,750 final on Nov. 29. Other major contenders are Easily A Secret, a winner of more than $66,000, and Dash On Mitch, who won the Pomona Juvenile in early October. Most of the other leading 2-year-olds in California are waiting for other races in December.

“I just think (Yuuba King’s) gotten more mature and grown,” Hall said. “I think he’ll be strong. When he came back (from the layoff), I thought he did well with the little prepping he’d had.”

Other features on opening weekend include the Golden State Derby Trials on Saturday and the $20,000 Inaugural Handicap on Sunday.