SNITCHER REVEALS HIMSELF IN SGT PEPPER FEATURE HANDICAP Snitcher’s talents are no longer a secret - not after his performance in the $25,000 Sgt Pepper Feature Handicap for 3-year-olds on Sunday at Los Alamitos. Racing from post five and ridden by Francisco Rubio, Snitcher posted his second stakes win in a row while covering the 350-yards in the Sgt Pepper Feature in near track record time. The son of TR Dasher stopped the clock in :17.081, only 2/100ths of a second from the current mark held by Abigail Kawananakoa’s Divide The Cash of :17.061 set earlier this year.“The fast time gives you hope and makes you dream of bigger races,” said owner Armando Leon, who has raced Quarter Horse at Los Alamitos for more than a decade now. “He could have had the track record tonight, but I’m fine with him not breaking it. What I want is for him to make money. Our goal with him is the Grade 1 Southern California Derby. I wish he was in the Los Alamitos Super Derby, but we missed the chance to supplement him into that race.” “I stopped (Armando) from paying the penalty to get him in the Super Derby,” said trainer Adan Farias while shaking his head. “At the time he was coming off a couple of loses and I wanted him to show us more. He has been solid in his last two races. He was great tonight.” Bred by Ed Allred, Snitcher was purchased privately from Allred in the spring of 2010. In his first start for Farias, Snitcher ran second to Regal Tol in an allowance race and then finished fourth to Golden State Derby fastest qualifier Chivalry Sr. Snitcher found his winning stride for Leon and Farias on California Breeders Champions Night as he posted a ¾ length victory over the aforementioned Regal Tol. That win combined with this effort has elevated Snitcher’s star potential to new heights 2011 VESSELS MATURITY TO OFFER $150,000 IN ADDED MONEY AND $200,000 GUARANTEED PURSE Los Alamitos Race Course continues to host the most lucrative year-round Quarter Horse stakes schedule in the country in 2010 with another substantial increase to one of its marquee races in 2011. The Grade 1 Vessels Maturity, a stakes race with a deep and rich 39-year tradition, will now offer $150,000 in added money – double from its $75,000 added money figure in 2010 – in addition to becoming a $200,000 guaranteed race in 2011. The Vessels Maturity is open to 4-year-olds and upward Quarter Horses and as usual it will be contested at 400 yards. The winner will also receive a guaranteed starting berth to the 2011 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos Race Course.“The Vessels Maturity honors the great founding family of Los Alamitos and it’s one of the nation’s most influential races for older horses,” said Ed Allred, the owner of Los Alamitos Race Course. “We lost a wonderful member of the Vessels family this year in Frank “Scoop” Vessels, but his impact and influence in the sport of Quarter Horse racing will live on. The Vessels Maturity pays homage to the immense contributions done by gentlemen like Frank Vessels Sr., Frank Vessels Jr., and of course, Frank “Scoop” Vessels to the great sport of Quarter Horse racing. ” With its $200,000 guaranteed purse, the 2011 edition will be the richest running ever of the Vessels Maturity, eclipsing the previous stakes record purse of $172,300 set in 1982. Blues Man Too won the 2010 Vessels Maturity to earn a berth to this year’s $750,000 Champion of Champions. Other notable past winners of this race include World Champion Charger Bar, the winner of the first Vessels Maturity in 1972, and Dash For Cash, who won it in 1977 on his way to his second consecutive World Championship title. In 1978, Azure Three won the Vessels Maturity- then a 440-yard race - in :21.45, a clocking that at the time was the fastest ever recorded under the lights at Los Alamitos. In 1984, Dashingly won the Vessels Maturity in :21.56, the fastest quarter mile time ever by a mare up to that point at Los Alamitos. PCQHRA Director Frank “Scoop” Vessels III PCQHRA Director Frank “Scoop” Vessels III, a third generation horseman whose family founded Los Alamitos Race Course, died in a private plane crash near Burns, Ore., on Wednesday. The PCQHRA Board of Directors sends its most heartfelt sentiments of sorrow to Bonnie, Kash, Colt and Bryan. Vessels was piloting the plane, according to the sherriff’s statement. Sam Cannell, 73, of Anderson, Calif., who owned horses with Vessels, was also killed in the accident, the statement said. The men were traveling from Redding, Calif., to Montana for a fishing trip. Vessels had major success as a breeder of Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds. At the family’s 2,800-acre Vessels Stallion Farm in Bonsall, Calif., Vessels stood First Down Dash, the all-time leading Quarter Horse sire by progeny earnings. Vessels took over the family’s equine operation in the early 1990s after the death of his mother, Mildred. The family’s original farm was in Cypress, Calif., adjacent to Los Alamitos racetrack, which Scoop Vessels’s grandfather, Frank Vessels, founded. The family owned the track until the early 1980s, when the farm was moved to Bonsall, in northern San Diego County. "A GREAT CALIFORNIA BREEDERS CHAMPIONS NIGHT" Balgo Racing Team scored their second major futurity victory of the Los Alamitos campaign after Hot Hitter gave the red-hot owners the win in the $428,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity on Saturday’s California Breeders Champions Night. Contested at 350 yards and featuring nine outstanding Cal-bred 2-year-old Quarter Horses, the Governor’s Cup was the richest race in the outstanding 11-race program on Champions Night, that featured combined total purses of $939,500. Numbers for the night were up across the board. The on-track handle of $335,655 for this year’s program was up 31% in comparison to last year’s 11-race Champions Night card. The all-source handle for the night (which includes import simulcast races) was just shy of $2 million. The actual figure of $1,993,467 was up 25% from last year’s card. Los Alamitos also featured an on-track t-shirt giveaway featuring reigning World Champion Freaky that helped boost attendance by 25% over last year’s on-track mystery mutuel voucher promotion. On the racing strip, the action was tremendous from the opening race to the final sprint. The Felipe Quintero-trained Hot Hitter finished as the night’s big star after taking home a first place prize of $177,660 for winning the Governor’s Cup. In only his fourth start of the year, the Ed Allred-bred son of Walk Thru Fire out of Chickasis picked up his second victory in four outings. This was also the second trip to the winner’s circle for Balgo Racing following a big-money race for 2-year-olds at the Orange County track this season. Earlier in the meet, Jose and Maria Gonzalez of Balgo Racing picked up the crystal after West Coast Hawk won the Kindergarten Futurity. Both West Coast Hawk and Hot Hitter were purchased at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale. “We’ll have to look for a place in our home to display our new trophy,” said Jose Gonzalez. “We won the Kindergarten with trainer Jose Flores and now this race with trainer Felipe Quintero. At the start of the season I decided to give horses to a couple of different trainers because I wanted to create a little competition between them. I wanted them to feel a little pressure and they’ve actually both have handled it great. “When I bought this horses at the Equine Sale I was looking for horses based on their dams,” Gonzalez added. “I like mares that I know and I’ll probably look for babies from the same types of mares at this year’s Equine Sale. I can’t wait to receive my catalog so that I can start looking at the babies and doing my homework. Arnulfo Covarrubias helps me look at the babies and we’ve been fortunate. This has been an amazing experience and so much fun. Both of these horses are in the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity and then West Coast Hawk will be pointed to the Golden State Million Futurity, while Hot Hitter will be going after the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. To win a couple of more futurities with these horses that would be a dream. We will keep on dreaming that dream and hope that we can make it happen.” PINK BOOTS RM STOMPS COMPETITION Pink is the new green or maybe gold. Either way, the filly Pink Boots Rm made plenty of cash when she picked up her sixth win in a row while scoring in the $204,000 Governor’s Cup Derby in the Golden State’s most prestigious night of Cal-bred racing. Owned by Sergio Rodriguez’s Isla Vista Ranch, Pink Boots RM earned $83,580 for taking home the Derby Cup. “She impresses me more and more,” said trainer Adan Farias, who enjoyed four victories on the night. “I enjoyed all of her previous victories but a (Restricted) Grade 1 win changes everything. When you can beat horses in a Grade 1 race, now you are talking about a different caliber of horse. I think we will now try to the Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap (on September 18) and we would love to go to the Champion of Champions.” The horse won the biggest race she has ever won so far tonight, but owner Sergio Rodriguez came into this race very confident about this race’s outcome. He had reasons to be confident. All week long he received good reports from his vet, and the horse was coming off the fastest qualifying time in the derby trials. Rodriguez came to the U.S. with no money. Today he has two well-known restaurants in San Diego named Super Sergio’s. His father owned horses since Sergio was an infant, so his interest in racing started as a hobby. He has come on strong the last two years and this season has been particularly good thanks to horses like Pink Boots RM. “Today we have about sixteen horses coming up and waiting their turn to take the track,” Rodriguez said. Ridden by Rodrigo Aceves, Pink Boots RM covered the distance in :19.507. Childers Ranch LLC’s Peace Fire finished in second place, just shy of becoming only the seventh horse to win both the Governor’s Cup Futurity and Derby. Peace Fire, trained by Dan Francisco, earned $33,830 for the victory. First Down King, Fishin Party, Env, Chickafire, Thinking Jazz, Brazilian Dasher, Lovin This Corona, and What Fire completed the field. A TEMPTING DASH RETURNS TO THE TOP OF HIS GAME A horse with class will always be a horse with class. A Tempting Dash proved that on Champions Night, as the winner of the 2009 Los Alamitos Winter Derby ran a tremendous race to hold off A Streakinson by ¾ lengths in the $100,000 Spencer L. Childers California Breeders Championship Handicap on Saturday. Now racing for the same connections that campaign this year’s Los Alamitos Winter Derby and El Primero Del Ano Derby winner Headturner, A Tempting Dash only recently arrived to the barn of trainer Jose Flores after being purchased privately from owners Ron and Denise VanAmburgh and Giambi Stables. A Tempting Dash carved himself a highly productive year in 2009, as he hit the board in races like the Governor’s Cup Derby and Golden State Derby last year. He struggled towards the end of 2009 and had been finding winning equally tough this year. That changed on Champions Night when the son of First Down Dash flew out of the gate from post seven to take a daylight advantage over his rivals. He stretched his lead to 1 ½ lengths before crossing the wire3/4 lengths ahead of the pack in a time of :19.293. His winning time in this race is second all-time only behind Freaky’s:19.19 in last year’s Spencer Childers. “We were big fans of this race because he is such a gamer,” said Hector Rios, who was representing the new connections of A Tempting Dash in the winner’s circle. “He is a good looking horse and we always hoped that he would return to his top form. We hope that the Champion of Champions is in his future.” Ridden by Juan Andrade, A Tempting Dash earned $50,000 for the win to take his career earnings to $361,080. Racing for Steve Burns, John Andreini and Danny Cardoza, A Streakinson earned $17,000 for his second place finish. He also finished second in the Vessels Maturity on June 18. Bloke, Frankie Shoots, Secret Path, Hulapai, Hawkish Got Rhythm, Go Straight, Por Luzr, and He Could Be The One completed the field. Qualifiers to the Governor’s Cup Futurity Hot Hitter (:17.417), Silveree (:17.463), Hawks Dream Girl (:17.468), Moppet (:17.474), Tough To Tell (:17.495), Fearless And First (:17.503), Girlie Man (:17.516), La Panza (:17.517), Sheza Shy Shahayla (:17.525), and Viansa (:17.595). Qualifiers to the Governor’s Cup Derby Pink Boots RM (:19.374), First Down King (:19.442), Peace Fire (;19.568), Thinking Jazz (:19.628), Fishin Party (:19.635), Chickafire (:19.653), Brazilian Dasher (:19.711), What Fire (:19.750), Lovin This Corona (:19.86), and Env (:19.872). Governor's Cup Futurity The trials to the Governor’s Cup Futurity has thrown a batch of runners, as some performers will enter with some already impressive credentials, while other possible top contenders will enter the trials as rather unknown quantities after winning a maiden race in good form. Dutch Masters III’s Personal Glory (left) is among the big name runners in the trials, as the Walk Thru Fire filly comes in having already won trials to the Kindergarten Futurity and Ed Burke Million Futurity, while qualifying to each of those two mega Grade 1 events. The Jaime Gomez-trainer runner even finished an impressive third in the million dollar Ed Burke despite breaking in seventh place. Her terrific strong kick is synonymous with babies sired by Walk Thru Fire and there is no doubt that she could be among the most impressive runners in the strong 2-year-old crop of 2010. Personal Glory will be in action in the seventh race, which actually serves as the fifth trial to the Governor’s Cup. There are seven 350-yard heats on the night and a total of 56 runners competing in the trials. The Governor’s Cup Futurity final will be held on Saturday, July 31 as part of California Breeders Champions Night. Personal Glory’s rivals in this trial include a couple of runners that looked strong while recently picking up their first career victory. Jesus Velasco’s Silveree broke her maiden by 1 ¼ lengths on June 18 and was third to Flying Fig’s divisional track record debut back on May 22. Lees First Down is also in this race and he comes into this race after posting a ¾ length victory on June 6. The second to last trial (race number eight on the card) also offers some notable names and some rising stars. Ed Allred and Tom Seibly’s Babes Bono Biker is already a two-time winner this year and he’s a brother to the likes of Governor’s Cup Futurity finalist Bikers Bono. Bred by the Estate of Spencer Childers, Babes Bono Biker will be looking to become the third Childers-bred runner to do great things for Allred and Seibly. In the past, the two good friends have campaigned Los Alamitos Invitational Championship winner Ten Oclock Scholar and Golden State Million Futurity winner The Partys On Fire. Childers bred both of those outstanding performers. They went on to shine for Allred and Seibly. Babes Bono Biker’s trial will feature EG High Desert Farms’ Wild West Hawk and Jaime Gomez and Ron and Denise VanAmburgh’s A First Down Chick. The latter is a full sister to champion 2-year-old colt Tempting Dash and Grade 1 winner A Tempting Dash. If she runs like her older siblings, A First Down Chick will trail an outstanding blaze of her own. Wild West Hawk only beat $20,000 claimers by a nose, but she did so despite having a lot of trouble at the start. Balgo Racing Team’s Hot Hitter has yet to win in his two starts, but he has the look of a potential star, plus his older half-brother Hard Hitting won this race in 2008 before winning the Governor’s Cup Derby last year. Hot Hitter is a gelded son of Walk Thru Fire. Tough To Sell and Fearless And First will headline the first trial heat of the night. They will both enter the track after breaking their maiden in their most recent starts. Anjora Corp’s Awisetist is the only non-maiden in trial number two, but she’ll be surrounded by a good cast that included the multiple maiden placed runner This Is Da One and Stern Ranches’ recent runner-up Natasha Sr. Micah Leslie and Link Newcomb’s The Palm is the big name in trial number three. Trained by Dan Francisco, the Separatist filly ran second to Jose Pablo in a trial to the Kindergarten Futurity but then won her maiden by, and this is no typo, 3 ¼ lengths. The Palm cruised to victory in a comfortable time of :15.32 at 300 yards. Viansa, a full-brother to champion FDD Dynasty, will leave the gate to the inside of The Palm. He comes into this race after breaking his maiden by 1 ¾ lengths. Two of the big names of the night can be found in the sixth and seventh races of the night. They are Jaguar XJ, who won his trial to the Ed Burke Million Futurity but just missed qualifying to the rich final, and also Rolls Royce Ghost, who is a full brother to champions Wave Carver and Oceans Runaway. Both are recent arrivals to trainer Adan Farias’ barn. Santa Fe Roldan Inc. owns the two promising runners. Services set for Blane Schvaneveldt Memorial services will be held as follows for Blane Schvaneveldt. On Monday, July 12, a viewing will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Webb Mortuary in Preston, Idaho. Please note that the funeral will take place on Tuesday, July 13 at 1 p.m. at the Latter-day Saints Church in Weston, Idaho. A memorial service will be held at SeaCoast Grace Church in Cypress at 1 p.m. on Monday, July 19. More information will be forthcoming. For additional inquiries, please call 714-820-2690. BLANE SCHVANEVELDT PASSES AWAY Blane Schvaneveldt, the legendary Quarter Horse trainer whose influence on the sport was felt throughout the western United States, has died, the family announced on Monday Schvaneveldt, of Cypress, Calif., died on Monday afternoon. He suffered a heart arrhythmia on Friday, the family said over the weekend in a statement released by the publicity department of Los Alamitos Race Course. Schvaneveldt was hospitalized at Los Alamitos Medical Center after showing signs of distress Friday morning while having breakfast with his wife, Shirley, in the backstretch café at Los Alamitos racecourse. Earlier that morning, he oversaw the training of his racing stable. Schvaneveldt was 76. Schvaneveldt won 3,982 races and 38 training titles at Los Alamitos, and trained such champions as Refrigerator, First Down Dash, Town Policy, and Dash for Speed, to name a few. The full extent of his achievements is unknown. The American Quarter Horse Association did not keep individual records for trainers until 1970. Schvaneveldt had a record 386 Quarter Horse stakes wins at Los Alamitos. “He may have been the best trainer to ever put his hands on a horse,” said trainer Jack Van Berg, a friend of Schvaneveldt’s who won the 1987 Kentucky Derby with Alysheba. One of 12 children born in Preston, Idaho, Schvaneveldt began training in the Pacific Northwest, and relocated to Los Alamitos in 1968. Over the years, he won many of the track’s major stakes multiple times, including nine runnings of the Champion of Champions, the annual year-end race that plays a pivotal role in the World Champion voting, the highest honor in Quarter Horse racing. Among his other prestigious wins, Schvaneveldt won six runnings of the Ed Burke Futurity and Go Man Go Handicap and won five runnings of the El Primero Del Ano Derby, Los Alamitos Derby, Vessels Maturity, Golden State Futurity and Governor’s Cup Futurity. “It’s hard to imagine a Los Alamitos racecourse without Blane Schvaneveldt,” said Edward C. Allred, the owner of Los Alamitos Race Course. “During my early days as a racehorse owner and breeder, I relied heavily on his knowledge and counsel. I can’t begin to tell people how much I will miss him.” At his stable’s height from the mid-1970s to the early 1990s, Schvaneveldt trained for many of the sport’s most prominent owners, from states and regions such as California, Oklahoma, Texas and the Pacific Northwest. At one time, Schvaneveldt had a division racing at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico. Schvaneveldt led the nation’s Quarter Horse trainers in money won and earnings in 1977, and repeated those titles for the next eight years. The AQHA inaugurated a title for champion trainer in 1985, and Schvaneveldt was the first winner and earned the award annually through 1996. Schvaneveldt was active with his stable this year despite persistent health problems in recent years, particularly with his back. Last month, his Divide the Cash set a 350-yard track record at Los Alamitos. On Memorial Day, he traveled to Idaho for a high school class reunion. Schvaneveldt won the richest race of his career in December 2008 when Tres Passes won the $2,038,250 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. The win surpassed a milestone that had lasted a month. Schvaneveldt won his first seven-figure race in November 2008 when Tres Passes won the Golden State Million Futurity. Inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame in 2001, Schvaneveldt served in two organizations that led the sport – the AQHA racing committee and AQHA racing council. A ranch owner in Romoland, Calif., where he stood stallions, Schvaneveldt conducted an annual yearling sale in Southern California. Schvaneveldt’s influence in Quarter Horse Racing led to two races being named in his honor in recent years – the Blane Schvaneveldt Futurity at Wyoming Downs and the Blane Schvaneveldt Handicap at Los Alamitos, which will be run this year on Oct. 1. A burial service will be held in Preston, Idaho at a date to be announced. A memorial service will be held at Los Alamitos Race Course at a date following the burial. Schvaneveldt is survived by his wife, Shirley; two daughters, Shonna Smith and Brenda Figueroa; and three grandchildren, Brandi Mitchell, Brayden Figueroa and Barrett Figueroa. NO RACING AT LOS ALAMITOS ON SUNDAY, JULY 4 There will be no night racing at Los Alamitos Race Course on Independence Day, Sunday, July 4. Los Alamitos will have a two-night week of racing consisting of Friday, July 2 and Saturday, July 3. Following the holiday, Los Alamitos will resume its racing program with a great live card of Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred racing at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 9. The Friday, July 2 racing program is set to feature the running of the Vandy's Flash Handicap at 400 yards. The Vandy’s Flash has produced some outstanding winners in past runnings, including World Champion Dashing Folly in 1996, multiple stakes winner Soul Of Silence in 2006, 1993 All American Futurity runner-up Heza Fast Man in the 1994 running, and the talented runner The Black Alliance in 1982. On Thursday, July 1, Los Alamitos will be open at night for a special simulcast program featuring Hollywood Park. The action will start at Hollywood Park at 7:05 p.m. Los Alamitos simulcasts every one of Hollywood Park's racing cards. For more information call 714-820-2690. FIRST DOWN ILLUSION SHINES LIKE A DIAMOND IN ED BURKE MILLION A couple of years ago, Utah State Senator David Hinkins stated his love for racing with a few simple sentences. "Horse racing is not just a passion for us - it's an obsession," he said while also speaking on behalf of his brother Ross Hinkins during an interview. “Of course, our dream would be to race in a big race. We plan on racing our horses in California for a long, long time." He stated those words in 2007 and three years later, the brothers’ dream is a reality, as the David and Ross Hinkins not only raced in a big race – they were part of Saturday’s $1,064,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity at Los Alamitos – they won the big race courtesy of the 29-1 longshot First Down Illusion. With Rodrigo Aceves in the irons for trainer Adan Farias, the Zory Kuzyk-bred First Down Illusion defeated Legacy Ranch’s Flying Fig by a half-length while covering the 350 yards in :17.248. The victory now makes First Down Illusion eligible to win the $1 million Los Alamitos Cash Bonanza, the track’s version of the Triple Crown. The running of the Ed Burke Million Futurity was marred by the injury of fastest qualifier Leave The Scene. With G.R. Carter in the irons, Leave The Scene crossed the finish line in sixth place and a few strides later fell down after suffering an injury to his left front leg. Star In The East stumbled over Leave The Scene and also hit the ground. The filly walked away from the fall under her own power. Neither Carter nor Star In The East’s jockey, Ramon Sanchez, appeared to be injured because of the fall. Leave The Scene was euthanized. The complete order of finish is as follow: First Down Illusion, Flying Fig, Personal Glory, More Than You Know and All N The Jeans (dead-heat for fourth), Leave The Scene, Jose Pablo, Favorite Admirer, and Star In The East. Pushing Dazies was an early scratch. Purchased at the Ruidoso Yearling Sale for $24,000, First Down Illusion earned $430,080 after breaking his maiden in the Ed Burke Million. The son of First Down Dash and out of a female family that has to be one of the most decorated in Quarter Horse racing, First Down Illusion is now the nation’s number one horse in money earned with $433,135. His pedigree did not escape David and Ross Hinkins when they were perusing the Ruidoso sale catalog. His dam, Fishers Fantasy, is a half sister to stakes winners like Check Her Twice, First Femme, Dash To Chivato, Fishers Dash, etc. Fishers Fantasy traces back to AQHA Hall of Fame mare Do Good. And then there’s First Down Illusion’s sire, the legendary First Down Dash. “We bought eight First Down Dash yearlings last year,” said David Hinkins. “We bought seven at Ruidoso and one at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale. We’ve done well in the past running our nice cheap horses, but we wanted to run in stakes races and we felt this was the right time to step up our racing operation.” The brothers, who operate an industrial mining supply company in central Utah, spent about $210,000 in acquiring their eight First Down Dash babies last year. In the time that it took First Down Illusion to go from wire to wire in the Ed Burke Million, the brothers more than doubled their entire 2009 investment on First Down Dash with this victory. “I told them that they couldn’t go wrong buying First Down Dash babies,” trainer Adan Farias said. “First Down Dash babies know how to read the racing program,” Hinkins said with a laugh. “They can read when the big purses are on the line. That money that we spent on the First Down Dash babies has proven to be a bargain.” The Hinkins arrived at Los Alamitos to run their horses in 2006-07. They had previously had horses at Los Alamitos, but now the year-round racing, the endless racing opportunities, and the ease, comfort, and ability of watching the races live on TVG sparked their interest in returning to the Orange County oval. “It’s encouraging whenever you win a race like this,” added David Hinkins while flashing a huge smile. “We have 16 horses here and we’ll ship two more horses soon. We have eight horses in Montana and after the futurities there we’ll send those horses here in the winter. We just feel that Los Alamitos is the place to be.” David is the industrial mining company's president, while Ross is the vice-president. A third brother, Todd, is also part of the company. In addition, the Hinkins operate the Rainbow Glass Ranch, which serves as home to hundreds of horses, including stallions, broodmares, ranch horses, plus cattle and more. On the night of the Ed Burke Million Futurity, the brothers were on hand in the Vessels Club accompanied by their wives, three of their five sons and several other family members and friends. Los Alamitos Equine Sale October 2 & 3 There's a clear cut winner so far this year in the California juvenile ranks: The Los Alamitos Equine Sale. The Equine Sale, which will be held this year on October 2 and 3, has already seen three of its graduates shine on the most important nights of the early part of the year at Los Alamitos. West Coast Hawk, who was purchased for $27,000, won the Kindergarten Futurity in May, and on Saturday night Equine Sale graduates Leave The Scene and More Than You Know finished as 1-2 in the list of qualifiers to the $1,064,000 race. Their sale prices at the Equine Sale? How about bargain figures of $19,200 for Leave The Scene, who was also unlucky to lose the shake for the final spot to the Kindergarten, and $13,000 for More Than You Know, who is currently undefeated after his first two starts. The Equine Sale catalog also featured Blues Girls Choice, who earlier this year posted the fastest 300-yard time ever by 2-year-old at Los Alamitos when breaking his maiden in a time of :15.14. LEAVE THE SCENE HAS FASTEST QUALIFYING TIME TO ED BURKE MILLION FUTURITY Speed was the story on the night of the $1,064,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity trials, as the babies were sizzling with some blazing fast times during the 12-race card of trials to the first million dollar race of the year at Los Alamitos Race Course. Ron and Ronnie B. Keller's Leave The Scene was the fastest among the 113 horses that competed in Saturday's trials, as the gelded son of Walk Thru Fire topped the list of qualifiers with a time of :17.218 posted in the first trial race. How fast were the times posted in the trials? As comparison, of the 10 horses that qualified to the Ed Burke in 2009 only fastest qualifier LD Fire would have made the field to this year's million-dollar race. Balgo Racing's Star In The East was this year's 10th fastest qualifier and her time of :17.429 was 1/100th of a second faster than the number two qualifier last year. Different year, different horses, but even Ed Burke stalwarts like the three-time winning trainer Jaime Gomez were left impressed with this night of the trials. "We just saw one of the toughest and most competitive nights of trials in a long, long time at Los Alamitos," he said. "If you would have told me at the beginning of the night that my horse in the first heat trial was going to go :17.45 like (Mike Abraham and Alfonso Pasquel's) LA Fire ran, I would have taken it without a doubt. He ran a :17.459 and still did not qualify. Bobby Cox's filly All N The Jeans went :17.36 in the second trial and I was pretty worried that she was in danger of not making the final. We are thrilled that she made it as the eighth fastest qualifier, but that just tells you what a greatly competitive night of trials we just had in the Ed Burke." The complete list of qualifiers to the Ed Burke Million Futurity is as follows; Leave The Scene (:17.218), More Than You Know (:17.262), Jose Pablo (:17.272), Personal Glory (:17.277), Favorite Admirer (:17.340), Pushing Dazies (:17.350), First Down Illusion (:17.360), All N The Jeans (:17.369), Flying Fig (:17.427), and Star In The East (:17.429). 115 SET TO RUN FOR SPOT IN $1,064,000 ED BURKE MILLION FUTURITY A talented group of 2-year-olds will embark on the chase for the $1 million Los Alamitos Cash Bonanza when they compete in one of 12 trials to the $1,064,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity on Saturday at Los Alamitos. A total of 115 runners have been entered in the 350-yard trials and the horses with the 10 fastest times will move on to the June 19 Ed Burke final. The purse for the Ed Burke Million final is $64,000 richer than in 2009 and the amount of entrants is up 25% from the 82 horses that competed in last year's trials. The Ed Burke is also the first leg of the track’s triple crown, which also features the Golden State Million and Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. If a horse wins all three of these races then his connections will earn a $1 million cash bonus. It all adds up to what should be a great night of Quarter Horse racing, as every race on the card features either a 10 or nine horse field. Saturday's 12-race card will feature three Pick Four wagers, an early, middle, and late Pick Four. Some of the fastest babies ever to run at Los Alamitos will be action in the Ed Burke trials. In addition to the aforementioned All N The Jeans, who posted a tremendous time of :15.18 in the Kindergarten trials, Double Bar S Ranch's Pushing Dazies will come into the fifth trial after winning her career debut with a 300-yard time of :15.23 . A half sister to 2010 Remington Park Championship winner and 2008 Champion of Champions winner Jess You And I, Pushing Dazies' winning time in that debut was at the time the fastest ever for a first-time starter 2-year-old filly at Los Alamitos at 300 yards. Her record only lasted a few days, as Legacy Ranch's Flying Fig broke it when she won her debut in a time of :15.16 on May 22. Flying Fig, who is trained by Denny Ekins, will be in action in trial number 12. TWO IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS Los Alamitos in conjunction with PCQHRA has increased the start fee paid to the owners of starters from $300 to $400 for all two year olds and from $300 to $600 for all three year olds and older. This money is deposited directly into your horsemen’s account. PCQHRA has just been notified that effective June 1st horses racing at Los Alamitos will be charged a start fee of $235 per start. The current rate is $185 per start. PCQHRA administers a workmen’s comp fund which contributes $35 towards this start fee thus the owners account will be charged $200. The fee will continue to be deducted out of your horsemen’s account as in the past. This increase is caused by an increase in premiums charged by Los Alamitos Self Insurance Group. By way of comparison State Fund charges $389 per start. PCQHRA BOARD OF DIRECTORS, DAN LUCAS & SCOOP VESSELS ELECTED TO AQHA RACING COUNCIL The American Quarter Horse Association today announced the two newest members of the AQHA Racing Council: Dan Lucas and Frank “Scoop” Vessels III. Dan Lucas and wife Michelle are the owners and operators of Lucas Racing, Inc. in New Market, Maryland. Lucas started his racing operation in 1975, and began running American Quarter Horses at Pompano Park in 1978. He is a past member of the AQHA Racing Council and has served on the boards of the Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association and the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association. Lucas Racing, Inc. earned the 2004 AQHA racing champion breeder award. Vessels, the accomplished operator of Vessels Stallion Farm LLC in Bonsall, California, is a past member of the Racing Council and former AQHA Executive Committee member; he served his year as AQHA President beginning in 2004. Vessels Stallion Farm LLC was twice named AQHA racing champion breeder, in 1999 and 2006. QUARTER HORSE AND THOROUGHBRED PURSES INCREASED AT LOS ALAMITOS Los Alamitos Race Course has raised purses across the board on its Quarter Horse overnight races as well as in nearly all of the track’s Thoroughbred races effective with the Friday, May 21 racing program. Every official starter in a Quarter Horse race for 3-year-olds and upwards is now guaranteed to earn a minimum of $600 per start – a figure that is double the amount of the previous starter’s fee of $300 per horse. Based on a 10-horse field, every race for 3-year-olds and up will feature a purse increase of at least $1,800. For example, a race for $20,000 claimers featuring a 10-horse field will now be worth $13,740, up from $11,940. The open allowance races is now worth $16,762 based on a 10-horse field, up from $15,000 Every 2-year-old Quarter Horse will now earn a minimum of $400 per start – up from the previous starter’s fee of $300. Based on a 10-horse field, every race for 2-year-old sprinters will feature a purse increase of at least $600. In the Thoroughbred ranks, all maiden races have received a $500 boost to its base purse. In addition, horses running for a $2,000 tag will now be racing for $700 more per race. The purse for $2,000 Thoroughbred claimers is now $7,200. Thoroughbred claimers in the $2,500 and $3,200 ranks will be racing for $500 more in purse money ($7,500 and $8,000 purses, respectively), while the open $4,000 claimers will enjoy a $1,000 purse increase. The open $4,000 claimers will now race for $10,000 in purse money. Races for conditioned $5,000 claimers will continue to feature a $12,000 purse, while races for open $5,000 claimers will offer the juicy figure of $15,000 per race. ALLRED RESIGNS AS CHAIRMAN AND PRESIDENT OF LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE Dr. Edward C. Allred has resigned as president and chairman of the board of Los Alamitos Race Course effective Saturday, May 15. Allred also announced that he will be moving out of California, but will remain on the track's board of directors. “This decision is not based on health considerations, as I am doing well,” Allred said. “I will continue to have a very active role on the board of directors. It is on the execution of the day-to-day details and matters that I will not be involved.” Cathy Monji, previously the vice-president and special assistant to the chairman at Los Alamitos Race Course, will be the track's new president and will join the board of directors. Rick English, formerly the track's controller and currently a consultant, will assume the role of chairman of the board. Allred made both appointments, which are subject to board approval. No changes to the company's present policies are anticipated in the near future. Allred is the all-time leading breeder of Quarter Horse. He is a 10-time American Quarter Horse Association Champion breeder and a six-time champion owner. He was named AQHA champion breeder in 2009. Monji is a longtime owner and breeder of Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos Race Course. She owned 1995 Governor's Cup Derby and Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Breeders Derby winner Dicey Secret, the dam of 2006 All American Futurity winner No Secrets Here. Los Alamitos Race Course is currently hosting year-round horse racing on a Friday through Sunday night basis. Since 1951, the Orange County track has been recognized as the premier of Quarter Horse racetrack in the nation and it has hosted Thoroughbred racing since 1993. WEST COAST HAWK SCORES UPSET IN KINDERGARTEN FUTURITY The family ties of West Coast Hawk were the reasons that Balgo Racing's Jose Gonzalez purchased the colt at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale in 2009. Gonzalez knew West Coast Hawk's bloodlines all too well, as he had previously campaigned his half-brother Cash This Okie in Mexico to great success."We won five or six races in a row with Cash This Okie in some pretty big races down there," Gonzalez said. "That's why I chose to buy West Coast Hawk at the Los Alamitos Sale." Gonzalez paid $27,000 for the Hawkinson colt, money that has been well spent. That was proven after West Coast Hawk's surprising victory in the Grade 1 $362,300 Kindergarten Futurity at odds of 14-1 on Saturday at Los Alamitos. Bred by Steve Burns, West Coast Hawk earned $152,166 for his third win in as many career starts. One of four runners that came into the race with a perfect record, West Coast Hawk had to take the backseat in the pre-race hype, as most of the attention fell on heavy 2-5 favorite All N The Jeans, who came into the race having posted the fastest 300-yard time by a 2-year-old filly in the track's history. Gonzalez, however, believed that in Cash This Okie's little brother, he had the goods that could help his racing operation shine on Kindergarten night. "We had three horses in this race but I told all my friends and family to bet on number nine (West Coast Hawk). We had confidence in this horse because he is a strong finisher of races. I figured that if we could stay close to All N The Jeans at the start that he could get to her in the last part of the race." With jockey Juan Andrade in the irons for trainer Jose Flores, West Coast Hawk did the unimaginable: he outbroke All N The Jeans. Eighty yards into the race, West Coast Hawk had a half-length advantage over Jose Avila's Kool Cowboy and the other six horses in the race. At the wire, the sorrel colt had won the Kindergarten by a head over Kool Cowboy with All N The Jeans finishing third in the stakes' second fastest 300-yard running of :15.216. Hawkish's :15.18 in 2003 will remain the standard for this race for at least another year. Balgo Racing's Star In The East finished fourth and was followed home by Carburator, Julias Walkthru Fire, Balgo Racing's Hawkish Town, and Personal Glory. Atonement and Separate Hawk were scratched. Race: KINDERGARTEN FUTURITY-G1 Track: LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE Trials: MAY 1, 2010 Final: MAY 15, 2010 Purse: $362,300 Age: 2-YEAR-OLDS Distance: 300 YARDS All N the Jeans f. Corona Cartel--All About Ease by First Down Dash :15.188 Bobby D. Cox Bobby D. Cox (TX) Jaime H Gomez Carlos M Huerta Kool Cowboy c. First N Kool--Special Laveaux by Special Effort :15.353 Jose Avila Burnett Ranches Ltd (TX) Adan Farias Francisco C Rubio Star In The East f. Corona Cartel--Mongoose Jet Eye by Mr Eye Opener :15.359 Balgo Racing Team, Inc. MacKie Racing LLC (OK) Jose Antonio Flores Ramon Sanchez Seperate Hawk g. Separatist--Hawk Three by Fishers Dash :15.393 Blane Schvaneveldt Edward C Allred (CA) Owner Zacharie S Kelsey Carburator g. Azoom--Jess Genuine by Mr Jess Perry :15.415 Bobby D. Cox Bobby D. Cox (TX) Joe Bassett Cesar DeAlba West Coast Hawk c. Hawkinson--West Coast Cash by Takin On the Cash :15.422 Balgo Racing Team, Inc. Steve D Burns DVM (CA) Jose Antonio Flores Juan P Andrade Atonement g. Royal Quick Dash--Heavenly Note by Special Effort :15.424 Bobby D. Cox Bobby D. Cox (TX) Jaime H Gomez Carlos M Huerta Personal Glory f. Walk Thru Fire--Suzy Cartel by Corona Cartel :15.427 Dutch Masters, III Dutch Masters, III (CA) Jaime H Gomez Carlos M Huerta Julias Walkthru Fire f. Walk Thru Fire--Mi Julia by Raise A Secret :15.433Felix L. Gonzalez Jaime H Gomez (CA) Owner Juan P Andrade Hawkish Town c. Hawkish--Downtown Windi by First Down Dash :15.472 Balgo Racing Team, Inc. Erik or Francisco Flores (CA) Jose Antonio Flores Ramon Sanche NEW STARS TO ARRIVE ON KINDERGARTEN TRIAL NIGHT Shortly after a full afternoon of Derby Day festivities, the top young Quarter Horses in California will step on the track at Los Alamitos Race Course to be part of a full night of trials to the Grade 1 Kindergarten Futurity on Saturday night. A total of 74 2-year-olds will compete in the trials with each of the nine races on tap featuring fields of eight horses or more. The money that these babies will be chasing is also significantly higher than last year's money in the Kindergarten Futurity. The purse for the 2010 Kindergarten is 20% higher than last year, hopefully a sign of things to come in the always tough and rich futurity division at Los Alamitos. There are more Kindergarten hopefuls also chasing the big cash this year with that number being 32% higher to be more exact. The horses with the 10 fastest times on Kindergarten trial night will advance to the Grade 1 final to be held on Saturday, May 15. The winner of the Kindergarten final will earn $152,166. As it has been the case in this futurity recently, trainer Jaime Gomez looks to be a major player on trial night. The winner of this race seven times since 1996, Gomez will have a talented group of eight babies competing in the trials headed by Bobby Cox's All N The Jeans, who sizzled to victory in her maiden start on April 9. She won her debut by almost two lengths and now she will start in the first of nine Kindergarten trials on Saturday. "She's going to set the pace," Gomez said. "I've done well in this race in the past and I think the key to start on time with these babies and allowing them to tell me when they are ready to work out. Also trained by Gomez, Ernesto Solis' Rough N Fit will see action in the second heat and he could provide a rag to richest sort of story. Gomez bred Rough N Fit by combining the young stallion Throwin A Fit with a Thoroughbred mare and he admits that he did not know what to expect from his runner. "I tried to sell him but I couldn't find a buyer," he said. "I ended up partnering up on him with one of my assistants and Rough N Fit has done nothing but surprise me. I'm glad now that I kept him." Gomez's other runners include Fireball From Heaven, who along with a lot of talent has a nice story to go along with it. Owned by Gomez, Ron and Denise VanAmburgh and James Streelman, the Walk Thru Fire baby nearly died while he was being foaled. Even his mother was in danger of losing her life as she was giving birth to her Fireball. Among the young horses that looked great in their first starts and are now racing in the trials to the Kindergarten Futurity, Bobby Cox's Carburator and Victor Gonzalez and Ruben Salcedo's Jess California Blue top the list. Jess California Blue won her debut easily from the rail and now returns to race again from the rail in the trials. She won her first outing by more than a length. "I've been excited about this filly for a long time," said trainer Hector Jaime Hernandez. "I think she can be a nice surprise." Trained by Joe Bassett and owned by Bobby Cox, Carburator was tremendous when he broke his maiden a nice time of :15.59 at 300 yards. He had a big lead early in that race and while he ended up only a winner by a neck, his nice quickness is key to his chances to qualify. Carburator will be facing Rough N Fit in the second trial. Joe Badilla never won the Kindergarten during his great riding career, but the trainer has one of the strongest groups of juveniles competing in these trials. Just about Badilla's entire band of babies had their names changed recently to moniker honoring a fast and expensive automobile. The names fit because many of these runners can certainly give their namesakes a run for their money. First Down Jaguar, for example, is now the aptly named Jaguar XJ. He will race in the third heat after posting super works of :12 flat and :12.1. Based on these two morning drills he is one of the favorites to qualify to the Kindergarten finale. Jaguar XJ is a graduate of the Los Alamitos Equine Sale. Half Pipe, the $325,000 sale topper at the Heritage Place Quarter Horse Yearling Sale, is now named Rolls Royce Ghost. Badilla hopes that the classy and stylish name fits the royally bred runner. "He's a full brother to Wave Carver and Ocean Runaway and I just hope that he can be as great as his older brothers." Badilla's barn also includes Mi Lamborghini, a Mercedes Roadster, Porshe Turbo, Corvette Elite, and Blues Ferrari. He also has Blues Girls Choice, a colt out of 2007 World Champion Blues Girl Too. "We didn't change his name because we had misplaced the horse's papers and we didn't want to risk not having the name changed in time for the trials." You can be sure that as long as he runs like a Maserati in the trials, his connections will be more than happy with the colt's recognizable name. Leave The Scene, West Coast Hawk, and Julas Walkthru Fire are among the other local first out winners in action on Saturday night. DENIKE RUNNER JUMPS TO THE TOP OF THE SOPHOMORE FILLY DIVISION Edward and Theresa DeNike enjoyed their second victory in the La Primera Del Ano Derby since 2006 after their brilliant filly Jumpn Beduino held off the strong challenge of Chickafire to win the Grade 2 $175,500 La Primera Del Ano Derby on Saturday at Los Alamitos. Ridden by Francisco Rubio for trainer Pat Visscher, Jumpn Beduino broke inward and was bumped at the start of the La Primera but then recovered nicely to surge past early leaders What Fire and Chickafire. After taking the lead, Jumpn Beduino lugged in steadily, opening the door for Chickafire to make things extremely interesting the rest of the way. "She broke really hard but then she felt the impact of the bump," Rubio said. "She responded nicely from there. I used the whip with my right hand and when she felt it that's when she went hard to the inside. I switched the stick to my left hand and I tapped her on that side. She straightened out nicely and then held off Dan Francisco's horse (Chickafire)." Rubio was not only thrilled to win the La Primera by a neck over Chickafire, he was just happy to stay on Jumpn Beduino the entire duration of this stakes race. "I rode her in the Governor's Cup Futurity final but she took off to the outside fence and I fell down," he said. "She's a lot different now from the filly I rode that evening. She was scared back then. She was indecisive as to whether she wanted to run or not. Now she's completely different. She's changed a lot. She's sure of herself, she wants to run and she wants to win." After winning the '06 running of this race with their homebred Kaniska, the DeNikes took a different route to win their second La Primera Derby. Instead of breeding this winner, victory came courtesy of a filly that they purchased at the 2008 Los Alamitos Equine Sale. And what a wonderful acquisition Jumpn Beduino has turned out to be for the Washington couple. HEADTURNE TRURNS AROUND SLOW BEGINNING TO WIN EL PRIMERO The richest running of the El Primero Del Ano Derby since 1988 also produced a first as far as derby doubles are concerned at Los Alamitos Race Course. Owned by Jose Ramon Sandoval, the Check Him Out gelding Headturner became the first runner to win the El Primero Del Ano Derby after winning the Los Alamitos Winter Derby. While the Winter Derby has only been in existence since 2001, his winning both of those graded derbies in a seven-week span still ranks as quite a feat. Trained by Jose Flores and ridden once again for G.R. Carter, Headturner got the job done in the Grade 2 $214,400 El Primero thanks to a tremendous finishing kick in the 400-yard race. SEASON'S FIRST BABY RACE ON TAP FOR FRIDAY The babies are here! The new crop of 2-year-olds makes its anticipated debut when seven young stars will square off in Friday's sixth race at 300 yards. This is the first of many races for 2-year-old sprinters at Los Alamitos in 2010. Surely, the connections of these babies will be anxious to see if they possess the next great Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity winner or Golden State Million Futurity winner. Will we be seeing the next Good Reason SA or The Partys On Fire on Friday night? Several years back, the winner of the very first baby race was the talented Your First Moon, who went on to win the Los Alamitos Million Futurity. Perhaps one of the seven young sprinters debuting tonight can follow on the steps of Your First Moon. The Separatist gray runner Silver Bullet SR, who is trained by Roberto Dominguez for owner Kolleen Ledgerwood, will head the field to Friday's sixth race. The Separatist runner showed a ton of potential is his last workout despite the fact that he ran a little green during the early part of the drill. Looking For Justice, a colt by the up and coming sire Looking For Chicks, should also challenge in a big way. Bred by John Jones and Kevin Dickson and now owned by Ugo De La Torre, Looking For Justice drifted inside in his most recent workout but he still sizzled to the tune of a :12.20 workout on the way to having that morning's bullet drill. Ten-time AQHA Champion Breeder Ed Allred is the breeder of three of the seven horses running on Friday night, but the owner of two of them in Whittier Girl and Buying Snow. Whittier Girl bumped a little bit at the start of her March 20 drill when posting a :12.40 clocking. Sired by Snowbound, Buying Snow figures to come on strong in the second half of this baby race. Jim Hanson and Joe Maxwell campaign the gelding Flying Choice, who had the second fastest of 26 drills on March 18, while EG High Desert Farms owns Czech Ala Hawk, who has quickly become one of trainer Miguel Rodriguez's favorite. "He does everything like he was an older horse," Rodriguez said. "He's among the babies in the barn that I like best." The great trainer Blane Schvaneveldt will saddle 2009 Los Alamitos Equine Sale graduate Leave The Scene from post seven. Bred by Allred, the son of Walk Thru Fire has been posted sharp workout times in preparation for his debut. Thank you for your participation in the 2010 PCQHRA Election Congratulations to the following PCQHRA Board of Directors Candidates that were re-elected Carol Cooper George Loeb Daniel Lucas Rod MacPherson, Jr. Charles Treece WINTER DERBY WINNER HEADTURNER AND FASTEST QUALIFIER REY TIBURON HEAD EL PRIMERO QUALIFIERS The trials to the richest running of the El Primero Del Ano Derby since 1988 provided several interesting storylines on Friday at Los Alamitos. This year's Grade 2 El Primero Del Ano final will feature a healthy purse of $214,400, a stakes high since Runaway Winner's victory in this race in '88. The opening trial featured the return of Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby winner Headturner, who broke through the gate prior to the start but then went on to an impressive victory and the second fastest qualifying time of the night. The second trial went to Vessels Stallion Farm and Wood et al's Harems Last Dash, the 2008 high seller at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale, who posted the best effort in his career while posting the third fastest time of the night. The final trial went to Salvador Pimienta's Rey Tiburon, who recorded a 1 1/4-length victory while posting the night's fastest qualifying clocking. Rey Tiburon's accomplishment gave his owner his best and most high profile result in a stakes trial. "Rey Tiburon is the best horse that I've ever owned," said Pimienta, who holds a degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Guadalajara. "I own his mother (Corona Blurr) and she produced a nice runner by the name of Sonora Cartel. She was a very good runner until she suffered bone chips. She ran (fifth) in the (AQRA) Turf Paradise Futurity." The complete list of qualifiers to the El Primero Del Ano Derby is as follows; Rey Tiburon (:19.52), Headturner (:19.595), Harems Last Dash (:19.692), Forrest Fire (:19.699), How Goes It (:19.694), Runaway Time (:19.707), Sum Real Fun (:19.734), Bring The Bling (:19.808), Fabulous Fifties (:19.82), Fighting City Hall (:19.827). FIRE IS ON SCORES IN $25,000 KATELLA The Walk Thru Fire gelding refused to enter the Los Alamitos starting gate. Fire Is On's rambunctiousness caused his saddle to become loose, leading to a slight delay to the start of the race. But once the wait for Fire Is On was over, the wait was over for Reynoso. Ridden by Carlos Huerta for trainer Roberto Dominguez, Fire Is On flew from the gate and opened up a head victory on the way to a half-length decision over the late flying 2009 Champion of Champions finalist Masters Call. Fire Is On covered the 350-yard distance in :17.20, giving him the fastest time of the current Los Alamitos season. "I was getting very nervous the more I watched Fire Is On act up," said Reynoso, a contractor specializing in steel and iron. "I was starting to fear that he was going to get scratched. He has been an unlucky horse. He missed his 2-year-old year because he shin-bucked, but then he posted the fastest qualifying time to the 2009 the Los Alamitos Maiden Stakes. We lost to Royal Proclamation in the final but overall I was happy with the season Fire Is On had last year. He ran well. He ran great tonight. He beat a lot of talented horses in this race." Claimed for $5,000 by Reynoso and Daniel Alvarez, Pats Charming Chick won the First Down Dash back in November of 1999. He also ran sixth to Metalico in that year's Go Man Go Handicap. Reynoso is excited about the prospects of his horses in 2010. RECORD PICK FOUR POOLS ON SUNDAY NIGHT AT LOS ALAMITOS A new record pool for the early Pick Four at Los Alamitos Race Course was set when $133,486 was wagered on the popular exotic on Sunday night. The pool broke the previous track record of $129,640 set on Sunday, April 15, 2007. The record Pick Four pool, which consists of the first four races on the Los Alamitos program, followed a 19-minute delay to the start of the first race for Thoroughbreds at 4 ½ furlongs due to a gate malfunction. The pool, however, was already on its way to being one of the highest ever at Los Alamitos even before the mechanical trouble surfaced. The reason for the gate malfunction was a faulty solenoid. The solenoid is part of the magnetic mechanism of the starting gate. “As the horses were approaching the gate for the first time, the pool already looked headed to reach somewhere around $125,000,” said Orlando Gutierrez, the marketing and publicity director at Los Alamitos. “It was already going to be among our top five highest pools ever. We had to wait for the race to begin in order for the track crew to swap the gate that is used for the start of Quarter Horse races for the gate that was being used for this 4- ½ furlong race. Moving the gate took several minutes. At one point the pool went down to about $120,000, but then it picked right back up and it kept going all the way to more than $133,000.” Once the gates were swapped, the horses were reloaded and the Thoroughbred race was run with no further incident. The winning horse in the first race was the 5-1 shot Tuscan Sunset. The starting gate used for the eventual start of the first race was then used for the remaining races on Sunday night. Six of the eight highest pools and 15 of the 30 highest pools in the early Pick Four have come on a Sunday night. For more information on the Los Alamitos guaranteed early Pick Fours, please call 714-820-2690. To view Free Handicapping Tips and Pick Four selections, just visit www.losalamitos.com and click on the handicapping link. Los Alamitos Highest All-Time Pools In the early Pick Four 1. Sunday, February 28, 2010 $133,486 2. Sunday, April 15, 2007 $129,640 3. Friday, February 16, 2007 $127,054 4. Sunday, August 2, 2009 $126,346 5. Friday, February 22, 2008 $125,750 6. Sunday, March 1, 2009 $125,566 7. Sunday, April 22, 2007 $124,094 8. Sunday, February 22, 2009 $123,864 9. Saturday, May 16, 2009 $121,741 10. Friday, February 17, 2006 $121,472 FREAKY IS PHENOMENAL IN WINTER CHAMPIONSHIP Armando Aguirre's World Champion Freaky looked unbeatable once again after posting his seventh win in a row while setting a new stakes record in the $228,450 Los Alamitos Winter Championship on Saturday. Ridden by Francisco Rubio for trainer Adan Farias, Freaky's victory earned him the first of 10 starting berth to this year's $750,000 Champion of Champions to be held in December. Freaky won that race last year and will now set his sights clearly on become the first repeat winner of the Champion of Champions since two-time World Champion SLM Big Daddy won the race in 1997-98. First, Freaky, who earned $95,949 for the win, will rest according to Farias. "There's no ifs and or buts about that one," he said. "We're going to take care of the horse and give him a rest. The Champion of Champions took a lot out of him last December and now he's won two races this year. The horse has a winter coat right now and I don't think he's the same Freaky that he was four months ago. We'll give him a rest now so that he can come back strong later in the year. We have to do the right thing for the horse, so no questions asked. He'll be resting. He'll be back in a couple of months. Our goal is to win the Champion of Champions again. "I'm going to miss him while he's on vacation because you can't replace a horse like Freaky," Farias said. "He's sound. That's the best part. In five days we'll do x-rays and then we'll send him to a nice place to rest. I think what we will do is bring him back in an allowance race and then point to the (Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Winter Championship). We'll then run him in the Champion of Champions." HEADTURNER LOOKS IMPRESSIVE IN WINTER DERBY VICTORY Headturner made heads swivel with surprise after he spoiled the expected coronation of the heavy 2-5 favorite Princelike in Friday's Grade 1 $201,750 Los Alamitos Winter Derby. Owned by Jose Ramon Sandoval and trained by Jose Flores, Headturner trailed Princelike early in the 400-yard race before making a big surge in the final 100 yards on the way to a half-length victory. With G.R. Carter riding from post number one, the 10-1 longshot covered the distance in :19.327 to easily set a new stakes record. Headturner's winning time lowered by more than 1/10th of a second the previous mark set by A Mere Chocolate in 2008. "We bought Headturner a couple of years ago because a good friend of mine named Hector Armando Hernandez had good luck racing his full older brother Jumpnback," said Sandoval. "Their running styles are different. Jumpnback had a lot of quickness at the start, while Headturner usually is best at the end of his races. He won this race thanks to his strong finish at the end. I think he's a bigger horse in terms of size than Jumpnback." Headturner, who was purchased at the 2008 Schvaneveldt Yearling Sale, earned $84,735 for the win to double his career earnings to $169,005. He also improved his record to four wins from eight career starts."This horse made enough money last year to help that I was able to buy a couple of more horses," Sandoval said. "We paid the fees to make him eligible to the biggest derbies that Los Alamitos will have this year and with this victory he has already repaid those fees. He's a special horse. FREAKY OVERCOMES TROUBLED START TO POST FASTEST TIME TO LOS ALAMITOS WINTER CHAMPIONSHIP For the first time since Armando Aguirre's Freaky began his torrid winning streak some eight months ago, he encountered some trouble in a race. It did not matter. The World Champion still crushed to victory, as he posted the fastest qualifying time in Saturday's trials to the $228,450 Los Alamitos Winter Championship. Freaky, who has now won six straight races, did it by finishing the 400-yard race in the fastest 220-yard time that he has ever posted of :09.24. And while the final time was not a track record, his strong final time of :19.31 was 14/100ths of a second faster than that of next fastest qualifier Bloke.It was not all fun and games for Freaky in this race. In fact, the horse had a rough start to his trial journey. The gelded son of TR Dasher stumbled leaving the gate from post three and when he was immediately bumped jockey Francisco Rubio nearly fell off. All Rubio could do was grab a hold of the reins to try to balance himself aboard Freaky. Coolly, Rubio waited for the champion to recover and pick up his stride. Once that happened, Freaky took no mercy on his rivals, accelerating quickly and leaving the field far behind en route to an impressive 1-1/2 length victory. There was no place of show wagering in this race. It was all about the win with the 1-9 favorite Freaky. He returned $2.10 for a $2 win wager. The sorrel superstar will now headline the running of the Los Alamitos Winter Championship to take place on Saturday, February 20. The winner will earn a berth to the $750,000 Champion of Champions, a race that Freaky won last year. The complete list of qualifiers to the Winter Championship is as follows: Freaky (:19.315), Bloke (:19.455), Jess You And I (:19.582), Royal Proclamation (:19.563), Masters Call (:19.607), Hawking (:19.627), Morning Corona (:19.660), Blues Man Too (:19.664), Separate Bet (:19.673), and First Magical Dash (:19.688). Freaky was making his season debut on Saturday after being AQHA World Champion in 2009. Last year, the Ed Allred-bred runner won the Grade 1 Vessels Maturity, Restricted Grade 1 Spencer Childers Memorial California Breeders Championship Handicap, Grade 1 Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship, and the aforementioned Champion of Champions. He was named the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Horse of the Year and Cal-bred Horse of the Year earlier this week. Now, if the Adan Farias-trained runner can deliver another stellar effort in the Winter Championship, he will secure a berth to the first Champion of Champions of the new decade as he looks to become the first to win back-to-back runnings of this race since SLM Big Daddy in 1997-98. "We were 100 percent confident coming into this race," said Jose Valdez, the son in law of owner Armando Aguirre. "Freaky is perfectly sound. We checked him out right after the Champion of Champions. The only concern was the space between races. There was a little bumping in this race, but he still came through. I can only describe him as a phenomenal horse. He's one of the best ever. I think he is comparable to the greatest of all time. I'm not saying that because he's our horse. There are people coming up to us all the time telling us that he is one of the best ever. "It's a total privilege to be involved with this horse," Valdez added. "He is making a lot of people happy. He gets a lot of support all of the time. People tell us 'we're here to watch your horse, we're here to see him race.' We think our horse is super fast and once he gets going I don't think anyone can catch him. Jess You And I ran a good race tonight. When we bought Freaky the only thing we wanted was a horse that could compete against Jess You And I. We got one in Freaky. PRINCELIKE IS THE KING OF THE WINTER DERBY TRIALS Ed Allred's Princelike emerged as the supreme leader of the Los Alamitos Winter Derby trials after demolishing his rivals while posting the fastest qualifying time of :19.421 on Friday night to the $201,750 final to be held on February 19. Trained by Jose Flores, who saddled three of the four trial winners, Princelike was the runaway fastest qualifier of the evening, as he defeated the solid Harems Last Dash by 1-1/2 lengths while covering the 400 yards in the meet's fastest time. The TR Dasher gelding was 13/100ths of a second faster than second fastest qualifier Mamas Justice. Thirty one sophomores competed in the derby trials with the following 10 horses qualifying to the Grade 1 finale: Princelike (:19.421), Mamas Justice (:19.553), Fire In The Hole (:19.583), Mollys Cartel (:19.634), Headturner (:19.641), Bring The Bling (:19.645), Hoist Mission (:19.659), Harems Last Dash (:19.676), Forrest Fire (:19.691), and Tony Bolony (:19.717). Allred, the reigning AQHA Champion Breeder, appears to have bred a new star in Princelike. Out of the Raise A Secret mare Queen Mother, Princelike has now won four of five starts and his only blemish was a third place finish in the $416,000 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity. "With a little bit of luck and he would be undefeated," Allred said. "His mother had other horses but not one of them could run at all. I'm glad that I never got rid or gave up on her as a broodmare. She has that Oh La Ree blood and I am so happy that I kept her." Allred is also excited about the prospects of his stallion TR Dasher, who is also the sire of 2009 World Champion Freaky, Governor's Cup Derby and Futurity winner Hard Hitting, and Royal Shake Em Futurity fastest qualifier Three Times Even. "I saw TR Dasher last week at Burns Ranch and he looked great," Allred said. "While Walk Thru Fire has always been an impressive looking horse, I had never thought of TR Dasher in that same way until last week. In terms of looks he was the equal of Walk Thru Fire or even better in my eyes. TR Dasher really looked great. He only has crops of about 60 horses and that's about one-third of what the top sires have, so for him to sire the type of horses that he has already sired is incredible. The mare exposure that he has had has been okay. I've bred him to my second line of mares, which are good mares, but not my best. That's changing. This horse is a really promising stallion." TR Dasher ran in the 2000 Ed Burke Million Futurity and in the 2001 Governor's Cup and El Primero Del Ano Derby. Princelike's dam, Queen Mother, broke her maiden for her only career win, but her bloodlines trace back to nine-time winner and $111,650 earner Oh La Ree. Oh La Ree, who is the granddam of Queen Mother, is the mother of Oh La Proud, who dropped the likes of champions Hawkish and Hawkinson. Flores had a memorable evening. The veteran trainer also saddled trial winners Mamas Justice and Mollys Cartel and narrowly missed winning the other trial with Headturner. Rodrigo Aceves piloted Princelike and Mamas Justice, while Francisco Rubio rode Mollys Cartel. "I have never won three trials in a single night before until now," said Flores. "I want to thank the owners for putting up the money to make these horses eligible to the Winter Derby trials. I am happy that we were able to deliver. Princelike was phenomenal tonight. He has always been a special horse. He always does everything right. This horse always gives you 110 percent. From the first time that I worked him I told Dr. Allred that he had big-time runner. He is the type of horse that is very easy to train." Eladin Flores' Mamas Justice posted the upset of the night, winning the opening trial at odds of 40-1. The gelding is the son of the Thoroughbred Lit de Justice, winner of the 1996 $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint. Mamas Justice improved his record to three wins from five career starts. "The owner asked me whether or not he should pay to run him in the trials," Flores said. "I told him, 'this horse has a big chance if he can break cleanly because he can finish. Mollys Cartel is all heart. She had a rough go in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. The outside horse bumped her so hard that it knocked the shoe off of her right left, but that's racing. She tries hard no matter what happens. It doesn't matter if she runs against the boys, she'll be right there all of the time. She'll eventually run in the La Primera Del Ano Derby trials against fillies and that will be good for her. For now, we'll be taking on the boys in the Winter Derby final." Mollys Cartel was one of a few select runners to qualify to more than one million dollar race at Los Alamitos. She ran in both the Ed Burke Million and the Los Alamitos Two Million for Balgo Racing. Representing the ownership group on Friday evening were Jose and Maria Gonzalez and their three children. "I'm the one that comes out to the track the most," said Jose, who along with his two brothers composes Balgo Racing. "I'm the one that is sweating it out before Mollys' races. I'm the one that's dying of nerves," he added with a smile. Balgo Racing has owned horses for the past six years. "Our first start with our first horse in the United States won a stakes race The first horse that we owned, Its Time To Jazz, won a stakes race in Sacramento. We've been with Jose since we started owning horses. We've had good luck with Jose. We've had horses all of my life. I used to go to watch them run in Guadalajara, Mexico. Mollys Cartel has been a special runner for us. She's the best filly that we've ever had. She won easy tonight." Flores will also have Jose Ramon Sandoval's Headturner in the Winter Derby. The Check Him Out gelding was second in the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity in the only stakes appearance of his career. Finishing second to Isla Vista Racing SS's Fire In The Hole in the final trial, Headturner moved his record to six top two finishes in seven career starts."He broke a little sluggish," Flores continued. "He needed this race probably more than my other horses because he is a lot bigger than the other ones. (Jockey) Ramon Sanchez said that he actually made the lead in this race but then just flattened. We'll have three weeks before the final and that's going to be great for all of these horses. I'm just happy for my owners right now. And now let the best horse win." First Down Dash will be represented by two runners in the Winter Derby in Vessels Stallion Farm and Robert Wood's Harems Last Dash, who ran second to Princelike, and Lucas Racing Inc's Bring The Bling, who was second to Mamas Justice. Bring The Bling is out of the great mare Runaway Wave to make him a full brother to 2006 World Champion Wave Carver and champion millionaire Ocean Runaway. "Bring The Bling got a little sick last year and then he got sore," trainer Paul Jones said. "That slowed him down. I hope he can show his talent this year. It's a good start to make it to a Grade 1 final. The important part is that he made it and hopefully he will have a good showing in the final." Walk Thru Fire, the winner of the Three Bars Award for top California-based stallion in 2009, will also have two horses in the finale in the form of trial winner Fire In The Hole and Mimi Wells' Forrest Fire. Fire In The Hole has now won five straight races while moving up the ladder since being claimed for $6,250 on August 13. The son of the outstanding mare Artesia had won back-to-back races against $20,000 claimers before trying his luck in this derby trial. He passed his first trial test with high marks, as he held off Headturner, Grade 2 winner Hoist Mission, and 10th fastest qualifier Tony Bolony, while keeping his winning streak alive. PCQHRA AWARDS WINNERS Armando Aguirre's AQHA World Champion Freaky (left) added more trophies for his mantle piece after being named the 2009 Horse of the Year at the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association's annual awards banquet held on Tuesday, January 26. Freaky was the choice for the award after winning the Champion of Champions, Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship, Vessels Maturity, and Spencer L. Childers Memorial California Breeders Championship Handicap, while also posting three track records at Los Alamitos. "It is a privilege to have a horse that is a super freak," said Jose Valdez, who along with Aguirre was at the podium to accept the trophy. "This has been a dream come true, but we want to go after another Champion of Champions this year." Freaky was also named the champion aged gelding. Parsons Family Trust's Terrific Energy, winner of the Grade 1 Charger Bar Handicap and Grade 1 Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap, was named champion aged mare. Rancho El Alacran's Fighter On Fire, who won the Bank of America Challenge Championship, was named champion aged stallion. "He is a fantastic horse and he finally won his Grade 1 race on Challenge night," said trainer Adan Farias. "He has been retired and hopefully he will become a great stallion in the breeding shed." Gianni Samaja's Good Reason SA was named champion 2-year-old colt after winning the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity last year. "I had the pleasure of seeing Gianni in Brazil right after Good Reason's win and Gianni was so proud of his horse," said Vince Genco, who manages Samaja's horses in the United States. "Gianni sees Los Alamitos as his home base and he is committed to supporting this track stronger than ever." Kindergarten Futurity winner Twin Spires gave owners Dutch Masters III another PCQHRA champion. The famed racing operation has enjoyed many champions over the years, including recent stars like Horse of the Year Higher Fire, Secret Card, and many others. The title of champion 2-year-old filly went to Ed Allred and Tom Seibly's Golden State Million Futurity winner The Partys On Fire. "We go back a long way," said Seibly referring to his friendship with "Doc" Allred. "We've been playing golf together for 52 years and we owned our first two horses together way back as well. We didn't own anything together for 45 years until Ten Oclock Scholar. Doc turned to me at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale and said, 'We just bought a horse together and I'm going to make all the stakes payments and pay all the training.' I'm happy to have the greatest partner in the world." In the 3-year-old division, Allred and Paul Jones' Foose, winner of the Los Alamitos Super Derby, was named the top sophomore colt. "It's been a thrill to have him," said Jones, who bred the son of Stel Corona. "The biggest thrill is that I raised this horse. When you have one that you have raised, it truly is a special thing. Doc is a great partner. I'm fortunate to have a great team working with me, and Ramon Sanchez did a great job riding him." MJ Farms' Alice K White was named the champion 3-year-old filly on the strength of her wins in the Golden State Derby and La Primera Del Ano Derby. "This filly ran the race of her life in the Golden State Derby," said Cody Joiner, representing the owners and trainer Mike Joiner. "MJ Farms have been the greatest people to train for," he added. Giambi Racing and Ron and Denise VanAmburgh's A Tempting Dash, winner of the Los Alamitos Winter Derby, was named the champion 3-year-old gelding. "I would like to thank Gary Muller for breeding a great runner in A Tempting Dash," said Jeremy Giambi, a former Major League Baseball player. "My wife, Naia, and I are lucky to have great partners in the VanAmburgh. My wife couldn't be here tonight. She stayed home at the ranch because hopefully we have more champions being born. To me, running horses at Los Alamitos is like playing at Yankee Stadium." Snowbound Superstar was honored with a special recognition award for setting a new record for consecutive wins. "I thought it was over at the 1/16 pole," said trainer Paul Jones, reminiscing about the Red Cell Distance Challenge in which Snowbound Superstar broke the record. "He dug down on his own," added jockey Cody Jensen. "I didn't really ask him until the final yards. He wanted to win that race. It's been a privilege to ride this magnificent horse." The Iron Horse Award went to El Chino Davalos, while the Most Improved Horse went to Chalala. Imjumpn won the James V.A. Carter Award for Outstanding Broodmare, while Walk Thru Fire, who was syndicated for $10 million a couple of years ago, won the Three Bars Award for Outstanding Stallion. "My good friend Spencer Childers had never bought a share on a stallion in his life," Allred added. "When he was 95-years-old he paid the money to be in this syndicate. I could have bought Walk Thru Fire once for a couple of $100,000 dollars. Mike Abraham and I eventually ended up paying $8 million for him, but we are glad that we did." Rod MacPherson, the Chief Financial Officer for the PCQHRA, and a two-time PCQHRA Champion Owner, was honored with the Frank Vessels Sr. Award. MacPherson is recovering from a serious surgery. "Being named for this award is humbling," he said. "My wife, Anna, is an avid lover of horses, so it makes it so easy to be involved in horse racing. I'm also thankful to have this second opportunity with my health." Special recognition awards were handed out to jockey Ramon Sanchez, owner Gianni Franco Samaja, breeder Muller Racing LLC, and trainer Dan Francisco. Ed Allred was named Breeder of the Year. "Mimi Wells took me out of retirement (in the mid 1990s) and I'm glad that she did," said Francisco, who in 2009 conditioned stars like The Partys On Fire, Peace Fire, and Forrest Fire. "It's an honor to even be in the same sentence as a breeder with the likes of Ed Allred and Vessels Stallion Farm," said Gary Muller, the owner of top broodmare A Tempting Chick. "It's exciting to have a broodmare produce great runners." Paul Jones won the trainer of the year award, while Rodrigo Aceves won the jockey of the year award. Francisco Rubio, who in his first full year riding Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos piloted Horse of the Year Freaky, won the Val Tonks Memorial Award as top up and coming young rider. Frankie Wieland was posthumously awarded the inaugural Sam Thompson Memorial Award for her dedication and philanthropic work with several great causes including the Los Alamitos division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America. "I once asked Frankie, 'why do you do all this stuff that you do?' " said her husband, trainer John Cooper. "She simply told me, 'Because I can.' That was Frankie. She did things to help people." PCQHRA presented special recognition awards to TVG and the Los Alamitos division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America. Leading money earning divisional Cal-bred awards were given to: Shining First Dash, Twin Spires, The Partys On Fire, Foose, Hulapai, Alice K White, Fighter On Fire, My Lady First, and Cal-bred Horse of the Year Freaky. Awards to leading Northern California Fair horsemen were presented to owner Santos Montemayor, trainer Danny Harrell, and jockey Gregorio Arriaga. PCQHRA TO HAVE ITS ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET ON JANUARY 26 The Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Association will conduct its annual Quarter Horse awards banquet on Tuesday, January 26 in the Finish Line Room at Los Alamitos Race Course. Trophies and Awards will be presented in 40 different categories, including the 2009 PCQHRA Horse of the Year crown. In addition to the different divisional awards and Cal-bred award trophies, the PCQHRA also recognizes the special achievements of Quarter Horse owners, trainers, breeders, jockeys and horses that competed in California last year. Among the special recognition awards to be presented, will the annual Frank Vessels, Sr. Memorial Award presented in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the sport of Quarter Horse racing. Another special recognition award will be presented to Frankie Wieland, who will be honored posthumously with the first annual Sam Thompson Memorial Award for her dedication and philanthropic work with several great causes including the Los Alamitos division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America. The super champion distance horse Snowbound Superstar will also receive a special achievement award for setting a new record with his 15th straight in late September of 2009. The Val Tonks Awards given to the top young Quarter Horse jockey, plus other staple awards like the Three Bars Awards to California's outstanding stallion and the James V.A. Carter Award presented to California's Outstanding Broodmare. The complete list of nominees and special achievement award recipients is included with this e-mail. For banquet info, please call the PCQHRA at 714-236-1755. The Awards Banquet will also feature the annual Los Alamitos RTCA Silent Auction to raise funds for the Orange County track's chaplaincy. The event is the Los Alamitos RTCA chapter's biggest fundraiser of the year and it annually raises over $30,000 to promote annual fellowship and Christian programs for the backside and frontside employees at Los Alamitos. This year's auction will feature breedings to several noted stallions, a luxury suite at Staples Center for a Lakers, Clippers or Kings game, a Ski Utah! Vacation package, Taylor Made Tour Burner irons, art by renowned equine artist Jim Stuckenberg, two wonderful Track Magazine packages that include a yearlong subscription to the popular Monday Report, a lifetime subscription to Track Magazine, a full page advertising page to Track Magazine, a stallionesearch annual enrollment fee, one full page full color advertising page on SureBet Racing News.com Magazine, and more items to be announced. NOMINATION DEADLINE FOR 2011 ED BURKE MILLION FUTURITY IS JANUARY 15 Horsemen are reminded that original nominations for the 2011 $1,000,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity will close on January 15, 2010. This is your chance to make your future stakes winner eligible to this prestigious million-dollar race! The original payment for the Ed Burke Million is only $100. To be run in June of 2011, the Ed Burke Million features $250,000 in added money and serves as the first leg of the $1 million Los Alamitos Bonanza. The Ed Burke Million is open to all Quarter Horse foals of 2009 and will be contested at 350 yards. This race also offers $40,000 in nominator awards, including $12,000 to the nominator of the first place finisher. Nominate your foal on or before Jan. 15, 2010, and include a $2,140 check payable to the Ed Burke Million Futurity. This payment covers all fees through May 15, 2011, and will save you $460 off the regular payment schedule. The only remaining payment is a $1,200 trial/entry fee. Total fees under the prepayment plan are $3,340. The 2011 Ed Burke Million Futurity is one of the oldest and most history-laden races in all of Quarter Horse racing. For more information or for the complete payment schedule for the 2011 Ed Burke Million, please contact the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association at 714-236-1755. Nomination Payment Schedule for Ed Burke Million Futurity $ 100.00 on or before January 15, 2010 $ 100.00 on or before March 15, 2010 $ 200.00 on or before July 15, 2010 $ 200.00 on or before September 15, 2010 $ 300.00 on or before December 15, 2010 $ 500.00 on or before February 15, 2011 $ 600.00 on or before March 15, 2011 $ 600.00 on or before May 15, 2011 $1,200.00 Trial/Entry Fee MORE THAN $11 MILLION IN STAKES PURSES UP FOR GRABS AT LOS ALAMITOS IN 2010 NEW STAKES SCHEDULE INTRODUCES WILD WEST FUTURITY & THE LOS ALAMITOS CLAIMING FUTURITY Los Alamitos Race Course is once again offering the richest Quarter Horse stakes schedule in the nation as its 60th season of racing kicked off on Saturday, December 26 and will continue through Sunday, December 19, 2010. With a stakes schedule of more than $11 million up for grabs, the traditional Los Alamitos marquee races remain. That includes the running of the 2010 $1 million Ed Burke Million Futurity on Saturday, June 19; the $1 million California Breeders Champions Night on Saturday, July 31; the $150,000 Los Alamitos Invitational Championship on Saturday, October 16; the $1 million Golden State Million Futurity on Friday, October 29; the $1 million Los Alamitos Super Derby on Saturday, November 6; and Champions weekend on December 10-12, featuring the $2 million Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity on December 10, the $750,000 Champion of Champions on December 11, and the $200,000 Southern California Derby on December 12. The 2010 stakes schedule will also feature the addition of a pair of attractive new races for 2-year-olds headed by the $75,000 estimated Wild West Futurity at 350 yards to be held on Saturday, October 23. Similar to the annual Schvaneveldt Handicap conducted at Los Alamitos, the Wild West Futurity is strictly for sprinters that have raced in the Intermountain and Northwest circuits. These states include Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, and North and South Dakotas. The juvenile sprinters will need to make at least two starts in the Intermountain and/or Northwest circuits prior to the Wild West Futurity trials to be held on the weekend of the Los Alamitos Equine Sale on Sunday, October 3."The early response for this race from the horsemen in these Quarter Horse racing states has been great," said Ron Church, the racing secretary at Los Alamitos. "This race will add another wrinkle of excitement to an already great Los Alamitos Equine Sale weekend. We are really looking forward to bringing the Wild West to Orange County." There is a $100 original nomination payment for the Wild West Futurity due on January 15, 2010. Another great addition to the stakes schedule is the Los Alamitos Claiming Futurity for 2-year-olds at 350 yards. To be held on Saturday, June 12, 2010, the Los Alamitos Claiming Futurity will have a $50,000 purse, with trials set for Friday, May 28. For more information on either of these races, please call Los Alamitos Nomination Director Melodie Knuchell at 714-820-2801. The sport's first Grade 1 race of 2010 is the $100,000 Charger Bar Handicap to be held at Los Alamitos on Saturday, January 2nd. The Charger Bar could be a rematch of the Las Damas Handicap, as winner Forgive Him and runner-up Fredaville are among the mares nominated to the Charger Bar. Benny Rosset has nominated a trio of classy distaffers in Grade 1 winners Stylish Jess Br and Strength In Numbers, plus Eternity Bac BR. Others nominated to the Charger Bar are 2008 Southern California Derby winner Short Czech and the classy stakes winning mare Look Her Over. A Real Wonder Woman, Answer The Dream, and Bills Glamour completes the list. The most important races of the Winter portion of the season will be held on February 19 and 20 with the running of the $200,000 Los Alamitos Winter Derby and $200,000 Los Alamitos Winter Championship. The winner of the Winter Championship will earn the first of 10 automatic starting berths to this year's Champion of Champions. The $150,000 Los Alamitos Maiden Stakes will be held the following week on Saturday, February 27. Spring hits high gear with the running of the $200,000 El Primero Del Ano Derby on Friday, April 9 and the $200,000 La Primera Del Ano Derby on Saturday, April 10, while the first futurity of the year is set for Saturday May 15 in the form of the $400,000 Grade 1 Kindergarten Futurity at 300 yards. Another berth to the Champion of Champions will be up for grabs with the running of the Vessels Maturity on Friday, June 19. Freaky won the 2009 Vessels Maturity while using it as a springboard to win last year's Champion of Champions. The end of summer/early fall brings forth a tremendous set of a Grade 1 events at Los Aalmitos. The running of the Grade 1 $300,000 estimated Golden State Derby is set for Saturday, August 28 and will be followed by the $100,000 Go Man Go Handicap on Friday, September 10, and the sport's richest races for older mares, the $150,000 Mildred N. Vessels Memorial Handicap will have a berth to the Champion of Champions on the line on Saturday, September 18. The Wild West trials on Sunday, October 3 will be preceded on Los Alamitos Equine Sale weekend by the $200,000 PCQHRA Breeders Derby and the $40,000 Blane Schvaneveldt Handicap on Friday, October 1 and the $450,000 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity on Saturday, October 2. The Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials will have on the line the final berths to the prestigious Champion of Champions. Of course, the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity on December 10 and the Champion of Champions on December 11 will highlighted the final month of what promises to be another outstanding year at the Big Apple of Quarter Horse racing - Los Alamitos Race Course. 2009 LOS ALAMITOS HORSES OF THE MEET AS VOTED BY RACING OFFICIALS & MEDIA HORSE OF THE MEET: FREAKY AGED HORSE OF THE MEET: FREAKY AGED STALLION: FIGHTER ON FIRE AGED MARE: TERRIFIC ENERGY AGED GELDING: FREAKY 3-YEAR-OLD OF THE MEET: FOOSE 3-YEAR-OLD COLT: FOOSE 3-YEAR-OLD GELDING: A TEMPTING DASH 3-YEAR-OLD FILLY: ALICE K WHITE 2-YEAR-OLD OF THE MEET: GOOD REASON SA 2-YEAR-OLD COLT: GOOD REASON SA 2-YEAR-OLD GELDING: TWIN SPIRES 2-YEAR-OLD FILLY: THE PARTYS ON FIRE IRON HORSE OF THE MEET: EL CHINO DAVALOS 870 HORSE OF THE MEET: GONE TO THE MOUNTAIN RACE OF THE MEET: CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS HULAPAI WINS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DERBY Carlos Romero's Hulapai put the exclamation point to his strong sophomore campaign with a half length victory over the rallying Saturday Nite Fever in Sunday's Grade 1 $158,850 Southern California Derby at Los Alamitos. Hulapai, who was ridden by Rodrigo Aceves for trainer Adan Farias, finishes his 3-year-old campaign with five wins from seven starts and in the money finishes in each of his outings. He won a total of three stakes races starting with the Dillingham Handicap, followed by the Wrangler Stakes on Bank of America Racing Challenge Night, and finishing with a win in the Southern California Derby. Bred by Ed Allred, the gelded son of Red Hot Rhythm also finished second in the Governor's Cup Derby this year. Hulapai is named after a tribe of Native Americans in the mountains of northwestern Arizona. The name is derived from "hwal," the Yuman word for pine, "Hualapai" meaning "people of the tall pine". "The Governor's Cup was his only bad race of the year," said Romero of Hulapai. "He finished second but he had a terrible break and had to run his heart out to finish second. He beat some good horses this year, horses like derby winner A Tempting Dash, millionaire Tres Passes and Fantastic Corona Jr, who is a horse that I really like a lot. Our horse ran hard all year." Watching the running of the Southern California Derby from a spot right in front of the winner's circle, Romero exploded with emotion when he saw runner cross the wire ahead of a tremendous field. Hulapai, now a winner of $188,177, will take less than two months off before returning to action in the trials to the Los Alamitos Winter Championship on January 30. It could be the start of a busy year for the gelding out of the Raise A Secret mare Kingman Kin. Romero, who owns a body shop and an automobile dealership, will certainly enjoy the $66,717 first place prize for winning this race. FREAKY WINS CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS Freaky, the nation's top ranked Quarter Horse, completed one of the most remarkable seasons in recent memory after posting a 1/2 length victory in the 38th running of the Champion of Champions Saturday at Los Alamitos. "Super Freaky", as he is known at Los Alamitos, was bumped lightly at the start of the race but quickly took control to take the lead and power his way to the second fastest time ever in Champion of Champions history. Ridden by Francisco Rubio for owner Armando Aguirre, Freaky covered the distance in :21.06 over a wet fast track - a time that left him few ticks of the clock behind Jess You And I's track record of :20.94 posted last year. Freaky, a son of Ed Allred's TR Dasher out of the young Allred-owned broodmare Chickasecret, is not short on track records. He posted three of them this year, lowering marks to unimaginable times at the venerable Orange County track, including three different sub :19.20 clockings at 400 yards. No other Quarter Horse had done that at Los Alamitos and he still holds the three fastest times ever posted at that distance here. Ed Allred and Paul Jones' Foose was moved up from third to second following the disqualification of Stylish Jess Br after the stewards ruled that she had interfered with eventual sixth place finisher Hawk In The City. Stylish Jess Br was moved from second to seventh place. Fighter On Fire and Separate Bet finished in a dead-heat for third place. My Lady First, Hawk In The City, Stylish Jess Br, defending Champion of Champions winner Jess You And I, Masters Call, and two-time Champion of Champions runner-up Little Bit Of Baja completed the field. "I'm thrilled and completely blown away with what (Freaky) has done," said Aguirre of Surprise, Arizona. "What this horse has done has been amazing. The support that so many of our friends and family have given us has been one of the most outstanding things about this whole experience. Tonight we had about 70 people here cheering for this horse, all of them for no other reason than they wanted this to happen for the horse and us." GENCO HAS GOOD REASON TO CELEBRATE IN NATION'S RICHEST RACE Vince Genco loves to see his horses run in the mud. Genco, who manages Quarter Horses in North America for various Brazilian-based horsemen, cheered on the rain in 2006 when the colt No Secrets Here won the All American Futurity in New Mexico for one of his clients. With that as precedence, Genco had a million good reasons to smile when the weather report guaranteed rain in Orange County for Friday's running of the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity at 400 yards. From there the Paul Jones-trained Good Reason SA poured it on in upset style, winning the $2,000,000 Los Alamitos Two Million by a neck over favorite Apollitical Jess in the nation's richest Quarter Horse race. In the winner's circle, Genco was dancing in the mud after Good Reason SA sent him to the winner's circle on behalf of owner Gianni Samaja after covering the distance in :19.361. "This horse is owned by a great guy from Brazil named Gianni Samaja," Genco said. "Gianni has some health issues that keep from coming to the United States but this win will do wonders for his spirit. Gianni has won everything there is to win in Quarter Horse racing in Brazil, but this is without a doubt that biggest race that he's ever won. I'm going to be traveling to Brazil after the New Year's Day, so I'm sure we're going to have a great party in Brazil." The SA in the name of Good Reason SA stands not only for Samaja's ranch, Santo Angelo, but also for South America, a region of the world that is currently experiencing great growth in Quarter Horse racing. On Saturday night, Stylish Jess BR in the $750,000 Champion of Champions will represent another of Genco's clients, fashion designer Benny Rosset. "Benny is the co-owner of No Secrets Here," Genco said. "When No Secrets Here won I remember that I did not want to leave the winner's circle. That's how I feel right now. I could stay in here all night. Now Gianni has a million dollar race winner of his own. I'm so happy for these guys." Ridden by Ramon Sanchez, Good Reason SA grossed $834,720 for his win at odds of 23-1. This was his third win in four starts. He had only earned $6,075 in his career prior to this race, the lowest amount ever for a horse that went on to win this race. CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS FIELD SET; INSEPERABLE RETIRED TO STUD The field to the Champion of Champions has been drawn to its post position order and it reads as follows: Post Horse 1 Masters Call 2 Little Bit Of Baja 3 Fighter On Fire 4 Foose 5 Jess You And I 6 Freaky 7 Stylish Jess Br 8 Hawk In The City 9 Separate Bet 10 My Lady First The biggest development is the absence of All American Derby winner Inseperable as part of the field. Trainer Paul Jones had indicate for quite sometime that Inseperable was taking a little longer than he had hoped to recover from the All American Derby and as it turned out the trainer did not feel that it was to the horse's best interest to run in the demanding 440-yard Champion of Champions. Instead, Inseperable, who also won the Rainbow Derby this year, will retire and go to stud duty at Belle Mere Farms in Oklahoma. "He had some minor issues after the All American Derby," Jones said. "We worked hard to help him get over them. He gave us a good work a couple of weeks ago but overall we couldn't train him as hard as we were hoping to train him for the Champion of Champions. We didn't feel right about running him under those conditions in as difficult of a race as in the Champion of Champions. Instead, he'll go and enjoy the beginning of his stallion career." Stylish Jess Br replaces Inseperable in the Champion of Champions field, which will be headed by heavy morning line favorite Freaky. Track morning line maker Ed Burgart made Freaky the 3-5 favorite in Saturday's$750,000 race, making the son of TR Dasher the shortest priced favorite in his 29 years of making the Champion of Champions morning line. LOS ALAMITOS TO RACE ON JANUARY 1ST, OPENING NIGHT SET FOR SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26 Los Alamitos Race Course has added a special racing card on New Year's Day Friday, January 1st with first post set for 7 p.m. Los Alamitos will now race on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on the first weekend of 2010. Opening night remains Saturday, December 26 at 7 p.m. with the second night of racing being held on Sunday, December 27 at 5:30 p.m. Opening night will feature the running of the Holiday Handicap, while the first major race of the year will be held on Saturday, January 2nd with the running of the Grade 1 Charger Bar Handicap. For information, please call 714-820-2690. APOLLITICAL JESS IS THE FASTEST QUALIFIER TO LOS ALAMITOS TWO MILLION FUTURITY Apollitical Jess was one of the big stars of trials night to $2,000,000 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity after posting the fastest qualifying time of :19.45. A total of 94 horses competed in 12 trials on Saturday at the Orange County oval, with the horses with the 10 fastest time returning for the Friday, December 11 final. The Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity is the nation's richest Quarter Horse race in 2009 and will offer a first place prize of $804,720 and a Nominator's Award of $30,000. Other shining stars on a busy trials night included trainer Juan Aleman, who saddled not only Apollitical Jess but also the fourth fastest qualifier Fovee for owner Robert Gentry. The stallion Walk Thru Fire also enjoyed a huge evening by siring three of the 10 qualifiers. Second fastest qualifier Tools Of Fire, the sixth fastest qualifier Forrest Fire, and the ninth fastest qualifier Crystal Sola will represent Walk Thru Fire in the "Deuce" finale. Paul Jones also qualified two horses in the form of the Mr Jess Perry colt AB Knight and the Favorite Trick colt Good Reason SA. Among the other big names that qualified, Muller Racing LLC's Shining First Dash will be running in his fourth major futurity of the year after winning the 11th trial, while the aforementioned Crystal Sola recorded her sixth win of the year - the highest number wins by any horse racing in th trials - on the way to qualifying out of the 12th and final trial. LOS ALAMITOS 2 MILLION FUTURITY-G1 DECEMBER 11, 2009 $2,000,000 400 YARDS Apollitical Jess c. Mr Jess Perry--Apollitical Time by Apollo(TB) :19.454 Rancho el Cabresto, Inc Juan Alberto Tirado Lizarraga (CA) Juan G Aleman Eduardo Nicasio Tools Of Fire f. Walk Thru Fire--No Tools Required by Jody O Toole :19.519 Billy G Smith and Pat Guthrie Mike Abraham (NM) Michael W Joiner G R Carter, Jr Ab Knight c. Mr Jess Perry--Kashmere Dash by First Down Dash :19.649 Ace and Buddy Walker Stern Ranches Ltd (CA) Paul C Jones Ramon Sanchez Fovee f. Cuvee(TB)--Fodice by First Down Dash :19.687 Robert A. Gentry Robert A. Gentry (KY) Juan G Aleman Eduardo Nicasio Good Reason Sa c. Favorite Trick(TB)--Queen of Appeals by First Down Dash :19.692 Gianni Samaja Gianni Franco Samaja (CA) Paul C Jones Ramon Sanchez Forrest Fire g. Walk Thru Fire--Chicks Tell by Chicks Beduino :19.696 Martha Wells Martha F Wells (CA) Dan C Francisco Alex Bautista Mollys Cartel f. Corona Cartel--Five Bar Molly by Dash Ta Fame :19.703 Balgo Racing Team, Inc. Esmeralda Flores (CA) Jose Antonio Flores Francisco C Rubio Shining First Dash c. First Down Dash--Keep On Shining by Keep On Turning :19.718 Muller Racing LLC Muller Racing LLC (CA) Dennis Ekins Santiago Mendez Crystal Sola f. Walk Thru Fire--Corona Crystal by Corona Cartel :19.737 Ed Melzer A Aguilar & A Leon (CA) Eddie D Willis Jimmy D Brooks Voulez Vous f. Ocean Runaway--Sheeza Lil Val by Dashing Val :19.738 Felix L. Gonzalez J Garvan Kelly/Nancy Yearsley (OK) Owner Carlos M Huerta It is time once again to choose our affiliate's 2009 Most Valuable Professional. This award is given to the Most Valuable Professional Horseman belonging to each state affiliate in recognition of service and support to that affiliate. The AQHA Professional Horsemen's Committee, with approval from the Executive Committee, recommends that each affiliate identify their MVP by putting all nominees before that affiliate's membership for a vote. Each affiliate will then submit their state MVP winner to the AQHA for consideration for the national 2009 Most Valuable Professional award. The Professional Horsemen's Committee also refined the criteria for eligibility as follows: • Nominee must be involved in, and shown support of, his/her state affiliate • Nominee must be a current member in good standing of his/her state or affiliate, of AQHA and AQHA Professional Horsemen • Nominee should be recognized by his/her peers as a fair and upstanding business person that upholds the ethical standards of AQHAProfessional Horsemen • Nominee must be one who has worked toward the future of our industry by being positive and innovative in business endeavors • There will be one award per affiliate given annually Eligible from California are: • Vessels Stallion Farm • Paul Jones • Tom Bazley • Cody Jensen Please email us your vote for the California MVP recipient to pcqhra@earthlink.net or fax to 714-236-1761 on or before November 20, 2009. In order for your vote to count you must include your name and the last 4 digits of your CHRB license number in the email or fax. The California winners will be considered for the National MVP Award given at the AQHA Convention in March 2010 in Kissimmee, Florida. AQHA will award the California MVP with a specially designed plaque and the national MVP will receive a commemorative Montana Silversmith's belt buckle. MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR FRANKIE WIELAND SET A memorial service for Frankie Wieland will be held in Orange County, California on Monday, November 30 at 2 p.m. The memorial service will be conducted at the following location: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 12160 Valley View Garden Grove, California In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that contributions be made to the Los Alamitos division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America to be used for the children's Christmas Fund. Contributions can be mailed to: Los Alamitos RTCA Children's Christmas Fund c/o Melodie Knuchell 4961 Katella Avenue Los Alamitos, CA., 90720 Knuchell's direct line at Los Alamitos is (714) 820-2801. FRANKIE WIELAND PASSES AWAY Frankie Wieland Cooper, the wife of trainer John Cooper and a longtime Quarter Horse owner, passed away on Wednesday due to health complications. She was 65. Wieland and her late husband Bob Wieland campaigned a slew of outstanding distance runners at Los Alamitos, including the Cooper-trained stakes winners Daggers And Darkness and Chicks Charger Easy. Daggers And Darkness was a five-time stakes winner at Los Alamitos, including the Pat Hyland Handicap, Bull Rastus Handicap and the Quarter Horse Breeders Classics Marathon. Daggers And Darkness had many memorable battles at 870 yards against top runners like champions Hateful Hanna and Ive Been Blessed and talented runners No Pet Peeves, Noblesse Six, Two Steppin Alibi and a young yet to be superstar Sign Of Lanty. Frankie Wieland's Chicks Charger Easy dead-heated for the win in the 2002 The Moonshiner Handicap with eventual national champion Sign Of Lanty. Frankie Wieland, a lover of Quarter Horses, was active in many great causes. She was a friend of CHOC, Children's Hospital of Orange County, and was a key council member of the Los Alamitos division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America. At the time of her passing, Wieland was living in Colorado Springs, Colorado to be with her family. She was also fighting off cancer. John and Frankie would have been married two years in January. "I had the privilege of training many good horses for Bob and Frankie," said Cooper, Los Alamitos' fourth all-time leading Quarter Horse trainer. "After Bob passed away Frankie continued to race horses. She was a sweetheart and never met a stranger in her life. She had a wonderful singing voice. She performed at the funeral held for Sam Thompson and she did a lovely job. Whenever she opened her mouth to sing, I could see people's surprise at the beauty of her voice. We used to go to karaoke bars and when I got up there to sing people would say, 'do you know "Far, Far Away?" ' Cooper said laughing. "When she got up there to see people mouth's would open because of her great voice." "Frankie was a very unselfish lady," said Aurio Bermeo, the chaplain of Los Alamitos Race Course. "She really cared for people's welfare. She was always willing to help. She will be missed by so many of us." Wieland was one of the driving forces in the Christmas functions that the Los Alamitos RTCA sponsored each year. She would donate her money and time in order to purchase toys for the children of those that worked on the Los Alamitos barn area. Two adult children, Lance Wieland and Shannon Fizer, and two stepchildren, Robert and Carla, survive Frankie Wieland. A service will be held in Colorado Springs at 10 a.m. on Tuesday morning. A memorial service will be organized in California in early December. For more information, please call 714-820-2690. PLEASE REVIEW THE BANK OF AMERICA RACING CHALLENGE -AN INTRODUCTION TO THE EXPANDED PLAN AT WWW.AQHA.COM/RACING FOOSE WINS NATION'S RICHEST QUARTER HORSE DERBY OF 2009 Zenyatta's scintillating victory in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic was not the final million-dollar race contested on a great Saturday of horse racing in Southern California. That distinction went to the Los Alamitos Super Derby; a 400-yard test for 3-year-old Quarter Horses that for the first time ever featured a $1 million purse. The honor of winning the Super Derby went to Ed Allred and Paul Jones' Foose, last year's champion 2-year-old colt who is having a pretty good 3-year-old campaign. Sired by Stel Corona, Foose was in control of the Super Derby right from the start, as jockey Ramon Sanchez helped him find his best stride right away in the 400-yard race contested at the Cypress oval. With Sanchez in the irons, Foose had a great start to his Super Derby run and was clear of his rivals at the midway point. He was never seriously challenged from there, going on to win by a 1/2 length and in a time of :19.45- the fifth fastest time since this race became a 400 yard race in 1991. Sanchez, who earlier this year won the $1.9 million All American Futurity with Running Brook Gal, was picking up a record sixth Super Derby victory. He has won four of the last five runnings of this race. The Super Derby is the breed's richest for 3-year-olds this year and it's only the fourth Quarter Horse derby to ever feature a purse of $1 million or more. Foose earned $398,160 for his Super Derby effort to take his lifetime earnings to $1,496,938. The Super Derby also represented the bay colt's second victory in a million-dollar race, having won the Ed Burke Million Futurity last year. The victory earned the Paul Jones-bred and trained runner a berth into this year's $750,000 Champion of Champions at 440 yards on December 12. His was the final "win and you're in" berth to the Champion of Champions. The final Champion of Champions spots - two of them as it now stands - will be decided in the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials on Friday, November 20. The horses already in the Champion of Champions are Foose, Freaky, Jess You And I, Fighter On Fire, Inseperable, Separate Bet, Terrific Energy, and Streakin Cherry. Foose's presence in the Champion of Champions spices up an already great field, as he will be one of the headliners in a fabulous marquee match-up against three-time track record holder Freaky, currently the nation's number one ranked Quarter Horse. The Champion of Champions will also pit a horse that Allred purchased versus a horse that Allred sold. Last year, Allred paid Jones $400,000 for a half-share on Foose after watching him run one time. The gamble has paid off for Allred, as Foose has developed into one of Quarter Horse racing's biggest stars. This year the Hall of Fame owner and breeder sold Freaky to Armando Aguirre, and the gelding has been lights out ever since, winning the Vessels Maturity, Spencer Childers Memorial Championship and the Bob Boniface Los Alamitos Championship. What will happen when Foose meets Freaky in the Champion of Champions? "The way Foose ran tonight, I wouldn't be afraid to run him in the Champion of Champions," Allred said. "But it will be Paul who will have the final word on whether the horse runs in the Champion of Champions or not. He's a little horse - he's really not that big - but from what I saw tonight, I think he can handle the 440 yards in the Champion of Champions." Allred has won four races worth over one million dollars in his five decades campaigning Quarter Horses. Two of those wins have come in the past nine days. Allred and Tom Seibly's The Partys On Fire won the October 30 $1,272,250 Golden State Million Futurity. Foose's Ed Burke and Kingman Kid's 1998 Los Alamitos Million Futurity are his other two million-dollar victorie HARD HITTING RETIRED, WILL STAND IN NEW MEXICO Two-time Los Alamitos graded stakes winner Hard Hitting has been retired to stud duty at Terry and Nan Lane's TNL Farms in Bosque, New Mexico. Owned by a partnership, Hard Hitting's stallion fee has been set at $1,200. Bred by AQHA Hall of Fame owner and breeder Ed Allred, the 3-year-old colt is by red-hot young sire TR Dasher. Hard Hitting's mother is the outstanding broodmare Chickasis, who is the granddam of Freaky, the nation's number one ranked Quarter Horse. Hard Hitting is also a half brother to former Los Alamitos 300-yard track record holder Lassen County and the stakes placed Ed Burke Memorial Futurity finalist Secretly Seymour. On the racing strip, Hard Hitting swept the Restricted Grade 1 Governor's Cup Futurity and Restricted Grade 1 Governor's Cup Derby en route to earnings of $358,923. The brown colt won five of 13 career starts, while running second in three other races. He ran exclusively at Los Alamitos Race Course and also qualified to the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity and this year's El Primero Del Ano Derby. His shining moments came on California Breeders Champions Night, as he defeated a field that included two-time Grade 1 derby winner Alice K White, multiple Grade 1 stakes finalist Jimmy Delivers, and two-time stakes winner Making Choices in last year's Governor's Cup Futurity. Hard Hitting won this year's Governor's Cup Derby over a tremendous field that included Grade 1 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity winner Sixish, Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby winner A Tempting Dash, multiple stakes winner Hulapai, and the aforementioned runners Alice K White, Jimmy Delivers and Making Choices. STAKES RECORD HIGHLIGHT A MEMORABLE BANK OF AMERICA CHALLENGE CHAMPIONSHIPS Half of the six races that make up the Bank of America Challenge Championships have new stakes record following a sensational night of American Quarter Horse racing on Saturday at Los Alamitos. In what was the 8th time that the famed oval built by the Vessels family hosted the Bank of America Challenge, and the beautiful speed of the fastest horses in the world delivered great performance after great performance the entire night. New stakes records were posted by Fighter On Fire in the $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship, the marquee event on the evening's racing program, as well as new records by Saturday Nite Fever in the $200,000 Bayer Legend Derby Challenge, and by Stylish Jess Br in the $125,000 Merial Distaff Challenge. The showdown between greats Gone To The Mountain and Snowbound Superstar also lived up to expectations, as Gone To The Mountain ran a tremendous race to win the $125,000 Red Cell Distance Challenge, while Snowbound Superstar battled proudly the entire 870-yard race to finish in second place. Gone To The Mountain's winning time of :44.43 equaled the fastest time posted at Los Alamitos this year. Also winning on Bank of America Challenge Championships night were Hoist Mission in the $150,000 John Deere Juvenile Challenge and the 10-year-old Santispac in the $75,000 Fort Dodge Starter Allowance Challenge. The 11-race program, which also featured six simulcast races from Lone Star Park and four simulcast races from Evangeline Downs was $1,856,618, the highest this season at the Orange County oval. FIGHTER ON FIRE EARNS ELUSIVE CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS BERTH Owned by Rancho El Alacran of Joaquin Vega and his sons, Joaquin Jr. and Gilberto, Fighter On Fire beat 2007 AQHA divisional champion Little Bit Of Baja by a nose in the Grade 1 $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship at 440 yards. The victory gives the son of First Down Dash a berth into the $750,000 Champion of Champions, joining defending winner Jess You And I, the nation's number one ranked Quarter Horse Freaky, All American Derby winner Inseperable, Terrific Energy, Separate Bet, and Streakin Cherry in the December 12 quarter of a mile classic. The Champion of Champions will be Fighter On Fire's final race of his career, as he will then stand at stud at Burns Ranch in Menifee, California. For the connections of Fighter On Fire, a berth to the Champion of Champions has been a dream for the past two years. "We tried hard last year to get him in the Champion of Champions," said Gilberto Vega of Rancho El Alacran, which located in the northern part of Sinaloa, Mexico. "We also almost started his stallion career last year, but Dr. Steve Burns advised us to run him in 2009 to try to earn a berth to the Champion of Champions. Our goals were to try and make a millionaire and of course get him in the big race. It was not an easy decision to make, but in the end we decided to give him a chance to make the Champion of Champions once again. He had surgery and the road to this point was not an easy one. We've had some peaks and valleys with the horse, which makes it sweet now that we've been qualified to the Champion of Champions." Fighter On Fire earned $161,000 for winning the Bank of America Championship. Trained by Adan Farias and ridden by Francisco Rubio, Fighter On Fire has won 11 of 26 starts for earnings of $619,038. His 440-yard winning time of :21.12 broke the previous stakes record set by 2002 Co-World Champion Streakin Sin Tacha of :21.27. "Rancho El Alacran is a large breeder in Mexico," Vega added. "We've made a strong commitment with horses like Fighter On Fire and My Lady First to compete in the United States with the hope of making an impact here as well." IT'S PARTY TIME FOR LONGSHOT IN GOLDEN STATE MILLION FUTURITY When Los Alamitos Race Course owner Ed Allred first became involved in the ownership of Quarter Horses some five decades ago, he did so as part of a group that included his best friend Tom Seibly. Allred and Seibly each paid $1,000 in order to purchase a share of a couple of horses to campaign at Los Alamitos Race Course, and at the time winning a Quarter Horse race worth $1 million was impossible to imagine. "I had no business buying a horse, let alone two horses," Allred said. "I didn't make a lot of money going to medical school - and they didn't have million dollar races back then for Quarter Horses." They have million dollar races now - in fact Los Alamitos has four of them - and Allred and Seibly won one of them with ease thanks to the 32-1 longshot The Partys On Fire in the $1,272,250 Golden State Million Futurity Friday at the Cypress oval. Ridden by Alex Bautista and trained by Dan Francisco, The Partys On Fire scored big time in the 400-yard race in :19.57, while defeating Muller Racing LLC's Shining First Dash by a half-length. The Partys On Fire, who is a daughter of Walk Thru Fire, earned $515,445 for her quick work on the Los Alamitos strip, while improving her record to three wins from eight starts. She paid $66.40 for the win. Her victory also spoiled LD Fire's bid to win the Los Alamitos version of the Triple Crown. LD Fire, who was also sired by Walk Thru Fire, struggled right from the start and ended up finishing in last place in the field of 10. "I figured that a Walk Thru Fire filly was going to win this race," Allred said. "But I was pretty sure that it was going to be LD Fire. To be honest, if The Partys On Fire had finished fourth we would have been thrilled. This is the biggest surprise I've had in racing since I had a horse named Rich Gritch win at odds of 92-1 or 93-1." For Seibly, the win was equally thrilling. "I've been able to own a couple of horses the past few years thanks to (Doc) Allred," he said. "We had horses together when he first started, but The Partys On Fire is only the second horse I've owned in the past 40 years. You can't beat winning a million dollar race?" Spencer Childers, a Hall of Fame breeder and owner who passed away earlier this year, bred The Partys On Fire. "This win is for Spencer," said Francisco, who also trained horses for Childers. "Both horses that I've owned by (Allred) were bred by Spencer, who was a great friend," Seibly said. "We had Ten Oclock Scholar (a winner of $412,527) and now The Partys On Fire. We always felt that The Partys On Fire would like 400 yards. She liked it tonight." "What a perfect break she had," said Allred, whose only other Golden State victory with Way Maker in 1989. "Of course this win is for Spencer. It's also great to see Tom win this race. Tom and I would come to the track together when we were kids while going to law school at USC. He went on to become a judge and do quite well. I became a doctor. We've been great friends throughout all these years. I'm happy for him to get this victory." The breeding of The Partys On Fire is a mixture of a rising superstar in Quarter Horse racing in the stallion Walk Thru Fire and the young broodmare with proven bloodlines in Bonos Party. For Walk Thru Fire this is his second Golden State Million victory having previously sired 2005 winner Higher Fire. Walk Thru Fire, who stands at Burns Ranch in Menifee, California, won the Ed Burke Million Futurity earlier this year with LD Fire. "This is the first really strong crop of Walk Thru Fire since he exploded into the scene in 2005," Allred said. "What he is doing right now is fantastic and it shows his talent as a sire. Bonos Party is from one of Childers great female families." NOMINATION DEADLINE FOR ED BURKE MILLION FUTURITY IS NOVEMBER 1, 2009 Horsemen are reminded that original nominations for the 2010 $1,000,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity will close on November 1, 2009. This is your chance to make your future stakes winner eligible to this prestigious million-dollar race! The original payment for the Ed Burke Million is $200. To be run in June of 2010, the Ed Burke Million features $250,000 in added money and serves as the first leg of the $1 million Los Alamitos Bonanza. The Ed Burke Million is open to all Quarter Horse foals of 2008 and will be contested at 350 yards. This race also offers $40,000 in nominator awards, including $12,000 to the nominator of the first place finisher. The outstanding filly LD Fire and the exciting colt Streakin Laquinta posted the first ever dead-heat for first in the $1,000,000 Ed Burke Million in 2009. Nominate your foal on or before Nov. 1, 2009, and include a $1,840 check payable to the Ed Burke Million Futurity and all fees through May 1, 2010 will be covered. The pre-pay option can save horsemen $460 off the regular payment schedule. The only remaining payment would be the $1,200 trial/entry fee. The Ed Burke Million Futurity will be celebrating its 60th running ever in 2010 - making it one of the oldest and most history-laden races in all of Quarter Horse racing. For more information or for the complete payment schedule for the 2010 Ed Burke Million, please contact the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association at 714-236-1755. *** The PCQHRA has also announced a BRAND NEW payment schedule for the 2011 Ed Burke Million Futurity. The nominations for the 2011 Ed Burke Million will close on January 15, 2010 and will feature an original payment of only $100 for Quarter Horse foals of 2009. The purse for the 2011 Ed Burke is estimated to be $1 million and will offer $250,000 in added money. For info, please call 714-236-1755.