The Bob Baffert-trained Arabian Lion can strengthen his case as one of the top contenders for the 2023 Kentucky Derby when he leaves the starting gate on Saturday in the 2022 Los Alamitos Futurity at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif. A 2-year-old son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, Arabian Lion has a win and a second in two career starts. He is currently the co-third choice in advance wagering for the Derby, at 20-1, behind only Arabian Knight (15-1) and Forte (16-1). For Saturday, Arabian Lion is the 4-5 morning-line favorite in the 2022 Los Alamitos Futurity odds. He is followed by Carmel Road (2-1) and Fort Bragg (4-1), who are also trained by Baffert. Practical Move (8-1) and Tall Boy (20-1) round out the short, five-horse Los Alamitos Futurity 2022 field.
Post time for the 1 1/16-mile race is 4:51 p.m. ET. With a lightly-raced field set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you'll want to see what SportsLine expert Michelle Yu has to say before making any 2022 Los Alamitos Futurity picks.
Few people in racing are as well-connected as Yu. An on-air host and reporter who has provided racing analysis for TVG, HRTV and the Breeders' Cup, Yu has spent a lifetime in racing. Prior to her television career, she worked for trainers Steve Asmussen and Ron Moquett. She also is married to Santa Anita-based trainer Ryan Hanson.
Yu also has tremendous handicapping chops. In the 2011 Kentucky Derby, she correctly tabbed Animal Kingdom to win at a hefty 21-1. In the 2017 Breeders' Cup, she nailed 11-1 long shot Wuheida to win the Filly and Mare Turf. Last year, in a wide-open Kentucky Derby, she gave out Medina Spirit, who crossed the finish line first, as the winner at 12-1. In last year's Breeders' Cup Classic, she hit the Knicks Go-Medina Spirit exacta for $260.80. And in Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager this year, she suggested a play on All Other 3-Year-Olds, which cashed at a whopping 18-1 when Rich Strike won the Derby.
Since joining SportsLine in November 2021, her picks have cashed in the 2021 and '22 Breeders' Cup Classics, Kentucky Oaks, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, among other races. Anyone who has followed her is way up.
Now, she has handicapped the 2022 Los Alamitos Futurity lineup and made her picks and constructed her bets. You can only see them at SportsLine.
Top 2022 Los Alamitos Futurity predictions
One surprise: Yu is not making Arabian Lion her top choice even though he is favorite, listed at 4-5 on the morning line. A $600,000 purchase in April, Arabian Lion won his debut at six furlongs by three lengths, earning a fast Beyer Speed Figure of 92. He then faced winners for the first time and finished second but improved his Beyer to 93.
But Yu does not think Arabian Lion's odds are a fair representation of his chances to win. "He gets the perfect draw for a smooth trip and should be favored, but his odds will be too low to play him on top," Yu told SportsLine. Yu believes another horse provides better value than Arabian Lion. See which horses to back at SportsLine.
How to make 2022 Los Alamitos Futurity picks
Yu's top choice is a horse whose trainer "has been targeting this spot" with this horse. She also is high on a longshot who is "playable underneath." She's sharing which horses to back only at SportsLine.
So who wins the 2022 Los Alamitos Futurity? What longshot is a must-back? What does Yu think of every horse in the race? And how has she constructed her wagers? See the 2022 Los Alamitos Futurity odds below and then visit SportsLine to see Yu's picks.
2022 Los Alamitos Futurity odds, post positions
| Prg # | Horse | Odds | Projection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tall Boy | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 2 | Carmel Road | 2-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 3 | Fort Bragg | 4-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 4 | Practical Move | 8-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 5 | Arabian Lion | 4-5 | SEE PICKS |
