LOS ALAMITOS, CA—APRIL 15, 2017—Trainer Art Sherman enjoyed his first stakes nighttime win at Los Alamitos Race Course after the Yes It's True gelding Well Maybe outdueled his rivals in the $20,000 Wheatland Handicap at 870 yards on Saturday night.

Sherman, who trained the two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome at Los Alamitos, enjoyed a stakes victory at the Orange County track last year, but it came during the track's daytime Winter Thoroughbred meet. It was the great California Chrome that gave Sherman that stakes win when the 2014 Kentucky Derby and 2016 Dubai World Cup winner scored a track record setting win in the Los Alamitos Winter Challenge.

On Saturday night, it was Well Maybe that did the job, as he stalked the pace before flying down the stretch to outduel the game Trickortreat by a half-length. Ridden by Gallyn Mitchell for owner Ed Allred, Well Maybe covered the distance in :45.068. It was the Florida-bred gelding's sixth win in 12 career starts. Well Maybe earned $11,000 to take his lifetime earnings to $117,370. Bred by Classic Oak Farm, Well Maybe came into this race after winning an optional claiming race at Santa Anita at 5 ˝ furlongs on March 19.

"Well Maybe has been training great," Sherman said. "The other day when he won at Santa Anita he went pretty handily and I thought that since he was nominated to this 870-yard stakes and was sharp, that we would take a shot. I know they had some really nice horses in here, but I thought that the way he's training and this being his home track that it was a shot to take. He ran true to form. He's a neat horse. We've now won six races with him. He's earned over $100,000 so I feel really good about that. Having Doc Allred being here, it was nice to win for the boss."

The stakes win was also the first at Los Alamitos for jockey Gallyn Mitchell.

"Gallyn is a hard trying jockey and always works horses for me," Sherman added. "When I get a chance I try to put him on a horse or two. Santa Anita is a tough meet. I asked him to ride this horse because I figure he would fit him well. He's worked him a couple of time."

Jose Moreno's Trickortreat had his five-race win streak end in the Wheatland, but the long time claimer showed that he's ready for stakes competition as he was on the lead or near the leaders during most of the race. The son of Second In Command earned $4,500 for his runner-up effort with Juan Sanchez aboard. Miss Loujean, Holidayincambodia, Tricky Liz and Justamitch completed the field.

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.