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Trainer John Sadler made it five wins through the first four days of the Los Angeles County Fair meet with a double Saturday.
After taking the sixth with 3-2 favorite Perfect Ice Storm, Sadler returned to capture the eighth – the $51,806 feature – with 9-5 second choice Impossible Task.
A 5-year-old Liam’s Map gelding out of the Alphabet Soup mare Spelling owned by Hronis Racing, Impossible Task defeated Houndstooth and four others in the optional claimer.
Given a pace pressing trip by apprentice jockey Emily Ellingwood, Impossible Task took over from early leader Explosive with about three-eighths of a mile to run, then withstood a late bid by the 6-5 favorite to win by one length.
Fifth in his lone previous race at Los Alamitos during the 2021 Summer meet, Impossible Task completed the mile in 1:36.80 while winning for the fourth time in 17 starts. The $30,6000 payday increased his earnings to $168,836.
The victory was his second in five attempts in 2022 and his second in tandem with Ellingwood. They had teamed to score in an optional claimer Oct. 10 of last year at Santa Anita.
Impossible Task paid $5.60, $2.80 and $2.20. Houndstooth, who was making his first start beyond seven furlongs, returned $3 and $2.20 while finishing 1 ¾ lengths in front of 6-1 fourth choice Explosive. The show price on Explosive was $2.80.
Moraweth, Bud Knight and Vicente’s Shadow completed the order of finish.
Nearly halfway through the meet, Sadler tops the trainer standings while Ramon Vazquez, who also won twice Saturday, leads the jockeys with six victories.
Racing resumes Sunday at Los Alamitos. Post time is 2 p.m.
