Jimmy Bouncer back in with a tag

CYPRESS, Calif. – In three consecutive starts since late February, Jimmy Bouncer has raced in optional claimers and caught the eye of a rival trainer. In each race, the claim was voided, and Jimmy Bouncer was returned to trainer Doug O’Neill.

On Friday at Los Alamitos, Jimmy Bouncer will start in an optional claimer for Californiabreds at 5 1/2 furlongs. He is entered to be claimed for $20,000 and is likely to be favored in a field of six. Once again, Jimmy Bouncer may attract interest as a claiming prospect.

Whether a potential claim is validated will not be known until after the race, following an inspection by official veterinarians. Similar to all entrants, Jimmy Bouncer undergoes a prerace examination from veterinarians to determine if he is fit to run.

On Feb. 20 at Santa Anita, Jimmy Bouncer finished sixth and was claimed for $62,500. The claim was voided because of a bleeding incident.

In two springtime starts at Santa Anita, Jimmy Bouncer was claimed for $20,000 after finishing second on April 14 and winning on May 11. In both cases, the claims were voided because of unsoundness.

“It’s an umpire type of thing,” O’Neill said of the veterinarians’ decisions. “He can get a little rubber-legged after the race. The vets are doing their job. They won’t push a claim through unless he’s 100 percent.”

Jimmy Bouncer has been raced sparingly through his career. By Square Eddie, Jimmy Bouncer has won 7 of 15 starts and earned $381,135 for owners and breeders Paul and Zillah Reddam.

Jimmy Bouncer, who won the Harris Farms Stakes at six furlongs at the Big Fresno Fair last October, was last of 14 in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland in October 2015.

At age 6, Jimmy Bouncer is not the oldest runner in Friday’s race.

Luckarack, 9, will have his 67th start on Friday. Trained by Mike Pender, Luckarack won an allowance race at 870 yards against Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos on June 18. A four-time stakes winner at fair meetings from 2010 to 2013, Luckarack was second in a $3,200 claimer at Golden Gate Fields in March.

Well-regarded juvenile debuts

Zulfikhar, a well-regarded Bodemeister colt trained by Bob Baffert, will have his career debut in a maiden special weight race at five furlongs in Friday’s fourth race. The race drew a field of 11 but will be limited to 10 runners.

Owned by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum of Dubai, Zulfikhar was purchased for $750,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale of 2-year-olds in training in March. Typical of Baffert-trained runners, Zulfikhar has worked quickly, including a half-mile from the gate in 46.80 seconds at Santa Anita on June 12.

O’Neill starts United Patriot, a colt by Flat Out bought for $155,000 at the Barretts select March sale at Del Mar.

“He’s got some speed and some class, so we’ll learn a lot on Friday,” O’Neill said. “We’ve been putting a lot of endurance in his drills. He’s doing well.”