The Lieutenant may still have upside

CYPRESS, Calif. – The Lieutenant, who has won two of six starts since his career began in May 2016, has not lived up to hopes for trainer Michael McCarthy.

“I thought he could be any kind of horse,” McCarthy said. “I think he could be a stakes horse.”

The California older-horse division lacks depth, and McCarthy hopes The Lieutenant, 4, can play a role in stakes in 2018. Sunday at Los Alamitos, The Lieutenant starts for the final time this year in a second-level allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option at a mile at Los Alamitos.

Sunday’s 10-race program comes on the final day of the track’s December meeting. First post is noon Pacific. Santa Anita opens its winter-spring meeting Dec. 26.

KEY CONTENDERS

The Lieutenant, by Street Sense Last 3 Beyers: 89-88-64

◗ Owned by Suzanne and William Warren Jr., The Lieutenant has made three starts this year. He was seventh in an optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs July 23 at Del Mar in his first start in 14 months, and rebounded to win an optional claimer at a mile Sept. 3 at Del Mar. In his only subsequent start, The Lieutenant was fifth in the Comma to the Top Stakes at a mile Oct. 28 at Santa Anita in his stakes debut.

◗ McCarthy said he ran The Lieutenant in the Comma to the Top Stakes because there was not a suitable allowance race offered at the time.

“Our hand was kind of forced,” he said.

◗ The Lieutenant drew the outside post in a field of six, which could work the colt’s advantage. The Lieutenant runs from the back of the field and should have pace to follow from runners such as Hot Sean, Stormin Monarcho, and The Critical Way.

◗ Drayden Van Dyke will ride The Lieutenant for the first time Sunday.

“I think Drayden can let things unfold to the inside,” McCarthy said. “He should get a stalking trip.”

Hot Sean, by Flatter Last 3 Beyers: 84-78-78

◗ Hot Sean was second in the Delta Downs Jackpot in Louisiana in November 2016 and has had one start this year – a third after a slow start in an optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs Oct. 22 at Santa Anita. Race winner Edwards Going Left returned to win the Cary Grant Stakes for California-breds at Del Mar last month.

◗ Trained by Bob Baffert, Hot Sean won an optional claimer at a mile at Santa Anita in October 2016.

◗ Hot Sean will be ridden for the first time by Joe Talamo and should dispute the pace.

◗ He was purchased for $550,000 as a yearling.

The Critical Way, by Tizway Last 3 Beyers: 75-82-83

◗ The Critical Way is the only stakes winner in the field, having won the Danzig Stakes for Pennsylvania-breds at six furlongs at Penn National in June. The Critical Way did not start again until Oct. 22, finishing fourth in the optional claimer won by Edwards Going Left.

◗ Trained by Mick Ruis, The Critical Way will start at a mile for the first time Sunday.