A warm but comfortable day greeted fans at Los Alamitos for the 2025 running of the Los Alamitos Derby. A decent-sized crowd was on hand to witness a commanding performance by the Bob Baffert-trained Nevada Beach.
Nevada Beach was impressive throughout, winning with ease by 4¼ lengths over stablemate Varney, who turned in a respectable runner-up finish of his own. The final time of 1:47.59 ranks as the second-fastest Los Alamitos Derby since Gimme Da Lute stopped the clock at 1:47.09 in 2015—a colt also trained by Baffert.
Nevada Beach Runs down the stretch in the Los Al Deby – Photo – Nancy Wilkinson
The field was reduced to four runners following the morning scratch of Tiz Secure, another Baffert trainee. Varney, the second betting choice, tracked behind Nevada Beach, who entered off a sharp victory on the Preakness Day undercard at Pimlico. Rank, the third choice, finished third, with longshot It’s a Factor rounding out the field.
The win also gave jockey Juan Hernandez his third victory in the race in the past four years, further reinforcing his place among the top riders in California.
Nevada Beach is owned in partnership by Pegram, Watson, and Weitman, and was bred in Kentucky. He is by Omaha Beach out of the mare Morrow Cove, a daughter of Yes It’s True.
This win marked the ninth consecutive year that trainer Bob Baffert has captured the Los Alamitos Derby. In total, Baffert has now won this race 15 times, solidifying his dominance in the event. Nevada Beach, a lightly raced 3-year-old colt by Omaha Beach, gave his sire his eighth stakes winner with this victory. Following this effort, Nevada Beach may now be pointed to the prestigious Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga in six weeks.
If Nevada Beach continues on his current trajectory, he appears poised to follow in the footsteps of many other Baffert-trained stars. So far, he’s shown all the signs of a colt with a bright future.
Bob Baffert Los Alamitos Derby Winners Circle – Photo – Nancy Wilkinson
