Kazushi Kimura may look primed for a fifth consecutive leading-jockey title at Los Alamitos as he prepares to ride morning-line favorites in half of the eight races Friday, the first afternoon of a short thoroughbred meet at the Orange County track.
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But Kimura will soon leave the top of the standings undefended when he serves a Sept. 18-20 suspension stemming from the disqualification of Throwthefirstpunch from first to third for interference in a June 26 race at Los Alamitos. Terms of the suspension allow Kimura to ride only in the Sept. 19 E.B. Johnston Stakes. Agent Brian Beach said he has two potential mounts in that race.
With Kimura limited, the new favorites to ride the most winners could be Emisael Jaramillo, the Santa Anita Classic Meet leader who appears set to compete regularly at Los Al for the first time, and Edgar Payeras and Armando Ayuso, each of whom tied with Kimura for the titles at Los Al twice in the past four meets there. Ayuso himself is sidelined Friday and Saturday while completing a suspension.
Many of California’s leading jockeys ride sparingly in the lower-level, all-dirt races at Los Alamitos’ three thoroughbred meets each year. That makes it a good spot for those like Kimura, who finished third and fifth at Santa Anita last winter and spring and sixth at Del Mar this summer.
The circuit’s leading barns also approach Los Al selectively. That has allowed lower-profile trainers such as Genaro Vallejo and Jesus Uranga to do well there in the past year.
First post is 1 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Los Al meet that runs through Sept. 20.
The big race should be the $75,000 E.B. Johnston for California-breds going 1 mile. It could match 2024 and 2025 Johnston winner Man O Rose and two-time Los Al stakes winner Shea Brennan.
The $100,000 Becca Taylor Stakes, a 6-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies, is being run for the first time this Saturday. Bob Baffert-trained Dainey (Jaramillo riding) is a 9-5 favorite on the morning line in a field of six that includes Mohaven (Kyle Frey), Billie Holiday (Drayden Van Dyke) and La Ville Lumiere (Kimura).
Doubleheaders at Los Al
Los Alamitos plans to run both day and night Saturdays and Sundays during the thoroughbred meet.
Saturday’s quarter-horse feature is the Grade I Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap for fillies and mares, with 2025 champion 3-year-old filly Shaken Goin On (Justine Klaiber), Rockin With Energy (Henry Reynoso Lopez) and Beuteeful (Rodrigo Sigala Vallejo) coming into the 10-horse race with previous Grade I wins.
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Scheduled first post is 6 p.m. for Saturday’s nighttime card, about an hour after the last daytime race.
Belmont reopens next week
Anticipation is building for the opening of rebuilt Belmont Park on Sept. 18, but cooling a bit for that day’s Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Defending Horse of the Year Sovereignty’s participation is in doubt after he lost training time because of an abscess in his left hind foot. It could prevent a showdown with 2025 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Forever Young in a major prep for the Oct. 31 Classic at Keeneland.
It also could affect the Goodwood Stakes on Sept. 26 at Santa Anita. Baeza has been expected to run, but he could switch to the Jockey Club Gold Cup to replace his Bill Mott stablemate Sovereignty.
Shortening up
• Jose Ortiz ($33.3 million) and Brad Cox ($25.1 million) lead the nation’s jockeys and trainers in 2026 purses after the Saratoga and Del Mar summer seasons ended Monday. Juan Hernandez ($9.2 million, 11th nationally) and Bob Baffert ($9.1 million, 13th overall) are the highest-earning California-based rider and trainer.
• The New York Racing Association confirmed the 2027 Belmont Stakes will be run June 5. That’s 13 days after the Preakness, which has been pushed back a week and will be 22 days after the Kentucky Derby. The Belmont distance remained uncertain after NYRA president and CEO David O’Rourke told the Daily Racing Form’s David Grening a permanent switch to 1¼ miles would be considered. The Belmont traditionally is 1½ miles. It was 1¼ miles in the three years it was at Saratoga.
• Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising returned from four months off to win his 21st race in a row in Sunday’s Chief Executive’s Cup. The 6-year-old now is a clear No. 1 in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings. Sovereignty is the top active U.S. horse, tied for seventh globally.
Follow horse racing correspondent Kevin Modesti at X.com/KevinModesti.
DEL MAR LEADERS
(Final, through Monday)
Jockeys / Wins
Joel Rosario / 42
Juan Hernandez / 37
Antonio Fresu / 32
Umberto Rispoli / 27
Emisael Jaramillo / 25
Kazushi Kimura / 23
Armando Ayuso / 16
Hector Berrios / 14
Tyler Baze / 9
Tiago Pereira / 8
Trainers / Wins
Doug O’Neill / 27
Bob Baffert / 17
Phil D’Amato / 16
Peter Miller / 15
John Sadler / 14
George Papaprodromou / 14
Mark Glatt / 12
Michael McCarthy / 11
Jeff Mullins / 10
(Four tied) / 7
UPCOMING STAKES
LOS ALAMITOS THOROUGHBREDS
Saturday
• $100,000 Becca Taylor Stakes, 3-year-old fillies, 6 furlongs
LOS ALAMITOS QUARTER HORSES
Saturday
• $100,000, Grade I Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap, quarter-horse fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, 400 yards
Sunday
• $270,000, Grade II PCQHRA Breeders Futurity, 2-year-old quarter horses, 350 yards
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