Litmus Test took the lead inside the final furlong and held off the late challenge of Blacksmith to win the G2 Los Alamitos Futurity by one-and-a-quarter lengths on Saturday, December 13.
The two-year-old colt by Nyquist, who led home a Bob Baffert-trained trifecta in the race, earned his connections 10 points on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby.
There was a bit of drama at the beginning of the race as Acknowledgemeplz lugged out badly heading into the clubhouse turn, hurting the chances of both American King and Captivator as he pushed those two extremely wide. As a result, it was the Baffert-trained Provenance that showed the way through the opening half-mile.
Litmus Test, who had been stalking from second, wore down his stablemate and held off a closing Blacksmith for the victory. The trio was a good 10 lengths or more clear of the fourth-place finisher, Acknowledgemeplz.
Litmus Test was bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall and was purchased by his current connections for $875,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga August yearling sale. He is out of the Malibu Moon mare, Study Hard, a full sister to multiple Graded Stakes winner, Sweet August Moon (G2 A Gleam H., G3 Las Flores S., G3 Rancho Bernardo H.).
Champion Nyquist is the sire of ten career G1 winners, four of which were in 2025: Nysos (G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile), Cavalieri (G1 Beholder Mile), Velocity (G1 Del Mar Oaks) and Argos (G1 Summer Stakes).
Nyquist will stand the 2026 breeding season at Jonabell Farm for $175,000, stands and nurses.
