Trainer Bob Baffert practically owns the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), and his three well-bred entries for this year's Dec. 13 renewal at Los Alamitos Race Course certainly put him in position to win again. Yet trainer John Sadler has a horse named Captivator who merits serious consideration.
Baffert-trained Litmus Test, a son of Nyquist , has the most experience and best credentials in the expected field of six. A winner first time out, Litmus Test followed that effort with a fourth in the Del Mar Futurity (G1), a third in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland, and a fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). Ted Noffey, certain to win an Eclipse Award as the champion 2-year-old male, won the Breeders' Futurity and Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
In addition, Baffert has put jockey Juan Hernandez aboard Litmus Test, often an indication of which Baffert horse is best. Hernandez has ridden all three of Baffert's entrants. He only rode Litmus Test in that first start, so he has not lost aboard the colt.
Hernandez piloted Provenance and Blacksmith, Baffert's other two in the race, in all of their outings. Provenance, a son of Into Mischief , ran third Aug. 23 at Del Mar and then broke his maiden Sept. 27 at Santa Anita Park. Blacksmith, by Liam's Map , is still a maiden after two starts, but ran second to Futurity entrant Acknowledgemeplz in his debut.
Baffert has named Kyle Frey on Provenance and Kazushi Kimura on Blacksmith. Baffert and Kimura successfully teamed up Dec. 6 with Consequent to win the Starlet Stakes (G2) at Los Alamitos.
Baffert has won the Futurity 14 times, beginning in the earlier years when it was contested at Hollywood Park and eight times at Los Alamitos. He lost the race in 2024, however, to Journalism, who had started only twice, with one win, and who has since won such races as the Preakness Stakes (G1) and Santa Anita Derby (G1).
Captivator has a similar record to Journalism's at the same point in their careers. A son of Baffert-trained Charlatan , Captivator lost his first race and won his second, as did Journalism. Journalism did break his maiden at a mile, whereas Captivator's win came at 6 furlongs. But Captivator scored by 10 1/4 lengths. Hector Berrios rode Captivator in both of his efforts and returns in the Futurity.
Acknowledgemeplz, a son of Bucchero , defeated Blacksmith by three-quarters of a length Oct. 25 at Santa Anita in his second outing. Doug O'Neill, who won the 2021 Futurity with Slow Down Andy, trains Acknowledgemeplz, and Armando Ayuso will ride for the first time.
American King, a son of Baffert-trained 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, rounds out the field. A maiden after two starts, American King is trained by Ruben Gomez and gets the services of jockey Geovanni Franco.
The Futurity is part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby, offering Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points of 10-5-3-2-1 to the top five finishers.
LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, Saturday, December 13, 2025, Race 8Entries: Los Alamitos Futurity (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Acknowledgemeplz (FL) Armando Ayuso 120 Doug F. O'Neill 7/2 2 2Provenance (KY) Kyle Frey 120 Bob Baffert 5/1 3 3Litmus Test (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 120 Bob Baffert 4/5 4 4Blacksmith (KY) Kazushi Kimura 120 Bob Baffert 5/1 5 5American King (KY) Geovanni Franco 120 Ruben Gomez 30/1 6 6Captivator (KY) Hector Isaac Berrios 120 John W. Sadler 6/1
