Multiple stakes finalist Mornings With Maria will headline a solid group of sophomore fillies in the featured sixth race, a $14,300 allowance event on a big Saturday night card at Los Alamitos.

© William Zuazo

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JANUARY 6, 2023–Multiple stakes finalist Mornings With Maria, one of the feel good stories of the 2022 racing season at Los Alamitos, will headline a solid group of sophomore fillies in the featured sixth race, a $14,300 allowance event on a big Saturday night card at Los Alamitos that will also feature a Pick 6 carryover of $56,409.

The nine-race program will start at 6 p.m. with the Pick 6 sequence beginning in race four.  With the new money expected to be wagered on Saturday night, the total pool in the Pick 6 could be close to the $250,000 mark.

Racing for Javier Barragan Jr., Enrique Becerra and Miguel Gomez, Mornings With Maria was a $12,500 purchase at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale. The Steve Burns-bred filly went on to earn $93,285 last year while running second in the Grade 2 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity and qualifying to the (RG1) Governor’s Cup Futurity and Grade 2 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity. 

The Seperate Interest filly will be joined by Dashas Dynasty, Matilda The Eagle, Lady Dusty, Budder Off Friends, Jess Sassy Corona, Executive Eagle MRL, and Sweet Fire Girl.

Morfin Proud To Follow Cooper’s Example

When trainer John Cooper closed out his career with a victory in the Southern California Derby with Boondarbian back on December 18, it was the closing story on a great chapter in the history of racing at Los Alamitos Race Course.

"Coopie" walked away a winner and in his own words "at peace" knowing that his stable of horses, most of them owned by Jeryl Hartley, would be in good hands with trainer Sergio Morfin, who was Cooper’s assistant for many, many years.

"He’s taking this over and he’ll continue training the horses that I have right now.," said Cooper before retiring. "He’ll train for Jeryl Hartley. (Sergio) has some pretty good ones to work with and he’ll do good. He works hard at it. I can’t think anyone here I’d given to except him.  No one has given him anything. He’s worked very hard for everything he’s achieved. He’s made it. He has established himself as a good horseman because he is one. "

Morfin will saddle Eleazar Gonzalez’s Favorite Habit in the featured $13,700 ninth race on Sunday at Los Alamitos. Previously owned by Hartley, the Favorite Cartel gelding in a graded stakes finalist and a two-time winner in his career.

He’ll face five others in the 330-yard dash. He’ll face the likes of Black Gold Stakes winner Paint Your Lips P and the consistent El Bobito Bet Cartel in this 330-yard dash.

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For more info, please contact larace@losalamitos.com. Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @losalracing or visit us online at losalamitos.com.