Litmus Test, as the sole participant in the Grade 2, $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity field with prior graded stakes exposure, delivered a performance precisely in line with expectations. His win by a margin of 1 1/4 lengths also came as no surprise, considering his trainer, Bob Baffert, had previously claimed victory in this particular race on 14 occasions. This year, Litmus Test, alongside Blacksmith and Provenance, secured a dominant 1-2-3 sweep for Baffert in the 1 1/16-mile contest held at Los Alamitos Race Course.
Wagerers showed strong support for the trio of Baffert-trained horses over the remaining three competitors, with Litmus Test starting as the 3-5 favorite among the six-horse lineup. Blacksmith, still without a win after two previous races, was designated the 4-1 second favorite, while Provenance, who achieved his first victory in his most recent second start, had odds of 6-1.
Provenance established an initial advantage, recording sectional times of :23.26, :46.67, and 1:10.43. On the first bend, Acknowledgemeplz veered outward, significantly forcing Blacksmith and the long-odds entrant American King wide.
Rider Juan Hernandez positioned Litmus Test directly behind Provenance, and the top choice appeared poised to accelerate whenever Hernandez signaled.
Hernandez commented, “He had a slightly tardy start, but he settled well, allowing us to conserve ground heading into the initial turn.”
During the second turn, Hernandez urged Litmus Test forward, and the young horse responded readily. He advanced to run alongside Provenance, engaging in a brief duel with his fellow stablemate before surging past. Litmus Test successfully maintained his lead against the late-charging Blacksmith, who secured second place, 3 1/2 lengths clear of Provenance, who took third. Litmus Test covered the full course in 1:42.38.
Regarding the victorious horse, Hernandez remarked, “He seemed a bit distracted in the homestretch, but after changing his leading leg, he powered through to the finish.”
Litmus Test’s most recent outing was a fourth-place effort, trailing Ted Noffey in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile presented by TAA. Before that, Litmus Test achieved his maiden victory in his very first race, then placed fourth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity. He had also earned a third-place spot in the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity held at Keeneland. Importantly, not one of Litmus Test’s five competitors had previously competed in stakes races.
Baffert expressed satisfaction with Litmus Test’s performance, stating, “He was positioned favorably. He appeared composed. It was evident on the backstretch that he had command of the event. He remains somewhat inexperienced, but Juan just informed me that longer distances suit him better. He truly enjoyed this track. He navigated it exceptionally well and maintained his momentum throughout.”
This Futurity race contributes to the Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve points system. Litmus Test secured 10 qualifying points for his victory, bringing his cumulative total to 19. At present, he occupies the second position on the points standings, trailing Ted Noffey.
Horses placing from second to fifth in the Futurity accumulated points towards the 2026 Kentucky Derby, distributed on a 5-3-2-1 basis. Following Blacksmith and Provenance, the subsequent finishing positions were taken by Acknowledgemeplz, American King, and Captivator.
