Old School Icon brings baggage

He stumbles, he gets upset in the gate, and when he does break he tends to do so toward the inside.

Old School Icon, a 3-yearold stakes-placed gelding, is winless in four starts this year, including a second in the $213,300 El Primero Del Ano Derby on March 29.

Along the way, Old School Icon has been trouble-prone. Old School Icon followed the second in the El Primero Del Ano Derby with an eighthplace finish in the $25,000 Dillingham Handicap on May 16, losing all chance after becoming fractious in the gate and bumping with a rival at the start.

Old School Icon will have an easier class assignment in an allowance races for nonwinners of two at 330 yards at Los Alamitos on Friday.

Trained by Matt Fales for owner and breeder Mimi Wells, Old School Icon has 1 win in 13 starts. Last year, he was second in two minor stakes at Los Alamitos preceded by a win in a $16,000 claimer for maidens in July.

For Friday’s race, Oscar Andrade Jr. will have the mount for the first time. Old School Icon will break from the rail in a field of seven. Last November, Old School Icon was beaten in a nose in the Corona Chick Handicap at 400 yards from the rail.

Excessive Cartel, drawn in the post adjacent to Old School Icon, and Doctor Gene, who starts from post 6, were both beaten a neck in their last race and can play leading roles in this allowance race.

The 4-year-old Excessive Cartel, one of three fillies in the field, was second in an allowance race as the 6-5 favorite at 330 yards on April 20. She started from the outside in a field of six in that race and finished well despite breaking to the outside at the start.

Doctor Gene has had similar issues as Old School Icon at the start of his races.

Doctor Gene, a 3-year-old gelding, was third in an allowance race at 300 yards on April 24 after breaking toward the inside at the start. He was second by a neck in an allowance race at 330 yards on March 29 after lugging to the inside after the break. In five career starts, all this year, Doctor Gene has yet to have a clean start.

Friday’s nine-race program begins at 9 p.m. Eastern, or 6 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.