Four stakes for 2-year-olds – including a pair of graded  races – and the return of the Grade III Bayakoa for fillies and mares highlight the upcoming Winter Thoroughbred meet at Los Alamitos. The eight-day season will begin Thursday, Dec. 5 and continue through Sunday, Dec. 15. The Grade I, $300,000-guaranteed Starlet and Grade II, $200,000-guaranteed Los Alamitos Futurity will be renewed Saturday, Dec. 7. Won a year ago by the Bob Baffert-trained Improbable, the Futurity – like the Starlet – will be contested at 1 1/16 miles.

Among the nominees to the Futurity, are American Pharoah winner Eight Rings, Del Mar Futurity upsetter Nucky and recent Santa Anita maiden winners High Velocity and Honor A.P. Nominees for the Starlet, which was won a year ago by the Baffert-trained Chasing Yesterday, include Del Mar Debutante and Chandelier heroine Bast, Phone Chatter Stakes winner Quality Response (photo) and recent Anoakia Stakes winner Leucothea.

The other stakes for 2-year-olds are for horses bred or sired in California. The $100,000 Soviet Problem – for fillies - will be offered Saturday, Dec. 14 while the $100,000 King Glorious will be run Sunday, Dec. 15.

Last offered at Los Alamitos in 2017, the Bayakoa, which will be run at 1 1/16 miles, will be contested Sunday, Dec. 8.

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