Expert Pick of the Week: 2025 Los Alamitos Futurity

Dec 11, 2025 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

Litmus Test breaks maiden at Del Mar. (Photo by Horsephotos.com)

A nice cast of six juveniles will travel 1 1/16 miles in Saturday’s $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2). The 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series tilt will reward the top five across the wire with qualifying points towards the Run for the Roses on a 10-5-3-2-1 basis.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has saddled the winner of the race in 8 of the past 11 years, and the conditioner has three chances to win the race once again in 2025. Litmus Test might be the best chance of his trio of runners in the cast to run his streak to 9-for-12. Purchased for a hefty $875,000 as a yearling at public auction in 2024, the son of excellent sire Nyquist has run well in all four assignments this season while facing some of the best two-year-olds in the country.

Litmus Test was last seen contesting the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), where he finished fourth, beaten by just 1 3/4 lengths by the unbeaten sensation Ted Noffey. He has posted three solid morning workouts since that fine effort at Del Mar, and the horse will be very difficult to beat if he runs like he did last time. Juan Hernandez, the go-to pilot for Baffert in Southern California, will be in the saddle atop the favorite.

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Baffert’s Provenance is bred for stardom and has shown glimpses of being a very good one in his first two races. By top sire Into Mischief out of superstar Monomoy Girl, the colt was an encouraging third at Del Mar in his debut race and then won at Santa Anita second time out. The Kentucky-bred two-year-old has some early speed and will ultimately be better going long, so this race looks like a nice fit for him. Provenance will have Kyle Frey riding him for the first time on Saturday.

Captivator for trainer John Sadler crushed a maiden field in his second lifetime appearance, and he has to get a look while making his stakes debut. By young sire Charlatan, the fleet two-year-old finished first by 10 lengths in his latest run and figures to be the one to catch in the early stages of this race. Hector Berrios, who has ridden the youngster in two straight, will be in the saddle yet again.

Expert Pick

An exacta with #3 Litmus Test on top of #2 Provenance and #6 Captivator in the 2025 Los Alamitos Futurity is the Best Bet of the Week.