ED BURKE MILLION The filly LD Fire and the colt Streakin Laquinta put on a show in the 59th running of the Ed Burke Million Futurity, as they hooked up during the second half of the 350-yard race to produce the first dead heat in the history of this race. The win makes LD Fire the only sprinter eligible to win this year’s $1 million Los Alamitos Cash Bonanza. Streakin Laquinta is not paid up to the other two legs, the Golden State Million and Los Alamitos Two Million, and therefore not Bonanza eligible. The dead heat is also the second one this season between trainers Jaime Gomez and Connie Hall. In early April, Twin Spires, who would go on to win the Kindergarten for Gomez, and Hall’s No Mor Sno finished in a tie for first. That came in a maiden race. The stakes were a lot of higher in the Ed Burke, as this is the first of three races contested at Los Alamitos this season featuring a purse of more than $1 million. Co-owned by breeder Mike Abraham, Jaime Gomez and Alfonzo Pasquel, LD Fire broke out and bumped My Sexy Lady after leaving the gate from post one. John and Kathie Bobenrieth’s Streakin Laquinta left the gate sharply but was then hammered hard a couple of strides after the start. Colt and filly managed to recover from their respective troubles and were able to move to the front of the pack. With about 50 yards to go in the race it appeared that LD Fire was not only going to catch Streakin Laquinta but would also sail right past him. Streakin Laquinta had other plans in mind. With Eddie Garcia in the irons, Streakin Laquinta dugged in and would not let the filly past him by. The two matched each other stride for stride right down to the wire. A photo finish that probably felt like an eternity to the interested connections could not separate the two. It was a dead-heat. “(LD Fire’s jockey) Alejandro Luna told me that he had about a half length to make up on Streakin Laquinta,” said Abraham. “She was at fault of the bump at the start. I was sure that we had finished second, which is still a great result for this type of a race. When I saw it was a dead heat I started thinking what could have been if she had not made that mistake at the start. I am happy right now. She finished tremendously and battled back to get a share of the win. I’ll sleep really good tonight.” Abraham and Ed Allred syndicated LD Fire’s sire, Walk Thru Fire, a couple of years ago. The owners have to be delighted to see their stallion produce his second Ed Burke Million winner since 2005. “This is a big help for Walk Thru Fire,” Abraham said. “I think it’s a vindication of what a great sire he is right now and will continue to be. He was such a big star right away with horses like Higher Fire (who won the Ed Burke and 2005) but we knew that there would be a lull right after that. We had high expectations of him this year and we think this vindicates him. He’s a young stallion and you’ll hear a lot about him for the next 10 years and beyond.” LD Fire and Streakin Laquinta each earned $283,200 for the split decision. Not bad for a night’s work that featured a 350 yard time of :17.341. “LD Fire showed her guts tonight,” Abraham continued. “I think the plan will be to keep her here in California and chase the Bonanza. She’s not in the All American Futurity so we would have to pay $50,000 supplemental fee. I think it’s a big longshot that we take her to New Mexico. We won’t rule it out completely but most likely we’ll stay here and try to win Doc Allred’s million-dollar Bonanza. The filly has a minor little shin issue that we’ll look at right now. She’s earned herself a break, so most likely you’ll see her again in the (October) trials to the Golden State Million Futurity.” LD Fire also gives trainer Jaime Gomez wins in 13 of the last 27 Grade 1 or Restricted Grade 1 futurities contested at Los Alamitos since 2005. Streakin Laquinta, meanwhile, could be headed to New Mexico if he comes out of this race in fine form. Unlike LD Fire, the son of the recently deceased stallion Streakin La Jolla is eligible to run in the All American. “He is a (January) foal so we felt that he would develop early and do his best in the early futurities,” John Bobenrieth said. “With his breeding we feel that he could handle the 440 yards, so that became the plan. It looks like this could work out well.“We had Ah Commotion win the PCQHRA Breeders Derby a couple of years ago and of course A Ransom won a lot of big races but this is our first futurity winner since Chicks Beduino,” Bobenrieth added. “It doesn’t matter to us if it came in a dead-heat or not. This is big and it’s a lot of fun.” And just like it was the case for LD Fire, Streakin Laquinta could have had this victory all to himself if only he had avoided trouble early on. “There was stuff going on in the middle of the track and he ended up getting caught on his back end,” Bobenrieth said. “But I guess that’s good because everyone else is getting in trouble behind you. Eddie did a great job handling this horse. He deserves a lot of the credit.” The Bobenrieths’ Pazazz Quarterhorses Ltd. is the breeder of Streakin Laquinta, who is the first foal out of the stakes winner A Sisstar. She is a full sibling to the aforementioned World Champion A Ransom and the Oklahoma-based stallion Righteous Brother, who stands at Belle Mere Farm in Norman. Eddie Garcia, meanwhile, continues to fool Father Time. The veteran pilot has now won each of the last three million dollar futurities contested at Los Alamitos. He won the Golden State Million and Los Alamitos Two Million futurities last year with Tres Passes.“Life can turn you upside down and then right side up,” Garcia said. “You just never know. Five years ago I was hurting a lot of because of a knee injury. I wasn’t making any money but now I’m winning million dollar races. It feels good to be back at the top. “This horse was great out of the gates,” he added. “Then they took his back legs out. They took his air out right at the second jump. I just held the horse the best I could and he recovered. He’s an athletic horse. He’s a natural horse. He wanted to run for me. I saw LD Fire at the gap. I started yelling at Streakin Laquinta so that he would go on. Forty yards before the wire we hooked up. I thought I had the better last jump but she was tough. I think another split second and I would have been ahead of her. That’s just how horse racing goes.” Connie Hall has had a couple of quiet years in the futurity front but this big victory will certainly bring about a nice boost for the talented trainer. “I’ve never won this race before so it’s definitely exciting,” she said. “Any time that you win a race it’s an exciting deal. When that happens you just get caught up in the action of the race. You forget about the money. Then reality hits you and it feels great. “I love to train horses. I love being around horses. As a trainer I want to do everything I can to improve a horse. A horse will make a trainer. A good horse will drag you along for the fun. Our job is to take care of the horse and hope that the horse co-operates with what you’re trying to achieve. If a horse can’t run you can’t win races. It’s as simple as that. I only have four 2-year-olds this year but times are tough so I’m glad to have what I have. John and Kathie have been so loyal to me that I’m just thrilled to be able to be a part of this moment. “It looked like Streakin Laquinta got squeezed at the start,” she added. “He’s not a big horse but he does carry good weight and he is long but not very tall right now. He’ll keep growing. If he is okay, we’ll look to take him to the All American. What happens sometimes is that a horse looks fine right after the race but it is in the next couple of days when things start to fall apart. I’ve gone to Ruidoso and won the race and I’ve gone and done okay. I’ve also gone and lost. It’s a tough race to run in. We’ll see what happens in the next few days.” Race: ED BURKE MILLION FUTURITY-G1 Track: LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE Trials: JUNE 6, 2009 Final: JUNE 20, 2009 Purse: $1,000,000 Age: 2-YEAR-OLDS Distance: 350 YARDS Ld Fire f. Walk Thru Fire--Prima Ld by Jazzing Hi :17.330Abraham, Mike and Gomez, Jaime H. Mike Abraham Jaime H Gomez Alejandro Luna Three Times The Toll f. Tres Seis--First Down Toll by First Down Dash :17.445 Gianni Samaja Vessels Stallion Farm, LLC/Gianni Samaja Paul C Jones Ramon Sanchez Streakin Laquinta c. Streakin La Jolla--A Sisstar by First Down Dash :17.475 Pazazz Quarterhorses Pazazz Quarterhorses, LTD (CA) Connie Hall Everado S Garcia Tools Of Fire f. Walk Thru Fire--No Tools Required by Jody O Toole :17.485 Billy G Smith and Pat Guthrie Mike Abraham (NM) Michael W Joiner G R Carter, Jr Fire Specialist f. Walk Thru Fire--Boogie Special by Strawfly Special :17.490 Jaime H. Gomez Jaime H. Gomez (CA) Owner Alejandro Luna Rocco Rojo c. Hawkish--Red Hot Katie by Red Hot Rhythm :17.560 EG High Desert Farms EG High Desert Farms (CA) Mario J Loza Juan P Andrade Mollys Cartel f. Corona Cartel--Five Bar Molly by Dash Ta Fame :17.595 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 :17.600 Muller Racing LLC Muller Racing LLC (CA) Dennis Ekins Santiago Mendez My Sexy Lady f. Simply Silver Sage--Lady of Lake(TB) by Salt Lake(TB) :17.615Rancho El Alacran Inc Joaquin Vega (MEX) Adan Farias Rodrigo Aceves Dashingfordestiny f. Mr Jess Perry--Dashing Phoebe by Dash for Cash :17.625 Kirk M. Goodfellow Kirk M. Goodfellow (TX) Christopher G O'Dell Cesar DeAlba 82 SET TO RUN IN ED BURKE TRIALS Over the last ten years, few races have been as productive as the Grade I Ed Burke Million Futurity when it comes to churning out future AQHA Champions. Over the last decade, seven different runners who triumphed in the Ed Burke have gone on to receive an AQHA Champion Two-year-old award at the end of the season. Such notable horses include standout colts like Foose, Hawkish, FDD Dynasty, and Carters Cartel, brilliant fillies such as Higher Fire and Corona Kool, and the hard-knocking millionaire gelding Dashing Knud. With ten trials slated for this year's Ed Burke Million Futurity, eighty-two different two-year-olds will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors and secure a spot in the history of this storied race. The Ed Burke Million Futurity also kicks off the first leg of the rich Cash Bonanza Series, which awards $1,000,000 to any horse talented enough to win the Ed Burke, the Golden State Million Futurity, and the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. One of the strongest trial heats of the night occurs in race three. Receiving top billing is the promising young Paul Jones trainee Bring The Bling. The younger brother to Champion Of Champions winners Ocean Runaway and Wave Carver, he dazzled racing fans in his very first start, drawing off by two and a half lengths in impressive fashion. Out of one of the best female families in the industry, he could develop into a future stakes winner much like several of his other siblings including the aforementioned Ocean Runaway and Wave Carver and 2007's Southern California Derby winner Trisk. Also competing in trial number three is another regally bred juvenile named Dashingfordestiny. A three-quarter sister to All American Futurity champion Heartswideopen, she debuted impressively in her first start as well. A sharp length and a half winner on Sunday, May 3rd, she overcame a bumped start and won with ease. Other potential threats include recent maiden winners Streakin Laquinta and Get Him Out Sa, as well as Hawk Mas Dinero, a nicely bred colt by Hawkinson who finished a solid third behind a powerful group of maidens on May 14th. JONES SETS SIGHTS ON THE ED BURKE TRIALS Whenever trials to a major stakes race come up here at Los Alamitos, one conditioner that you can always count on having a healthy amount of horses competing is seven-time AQHA Champion trainer Paul Jones. With a number of different regional barns scattered all across the country at racetracks such as Remington Park, Ruidoso Downs, and Los Alamitos, Jones presides over one of the most high profile operations in the sport of Quarter Horse racing. All total, Jones will train twenty horses in Saturday's trials to the Ed Burke Million Futurity. "We've been fortunate enough to win a lot of baby races already this season and many of those horses will be coming back in the trials along with some others that maybe didn't win or had bad trips, but we still like a lot," said Jones. The unquestioned frontrunner from the Jones camp - and maybe from the entire two-year-old division at Los Alamitos - is Bring The Bling. A full-brother to a pair of Champion Of Champions winners in Ocean Runaway and Wave Carver, Bring The Bling comes from one of the best female families in Quarter Horse racing. A sparkling winner of his first start on April 16th, he put away the field by two and a half lengths with speed to spare. His final 300-yard time also caught the eye of racing fans all over California, as he stopped the timer in a quick 15.461 seconds. "He's a horse that I really think is up to all of the hype that he's been getting so far," Paul added. "Even though both of his brothers were so good, I think that he's already ahead of both of them as far as how he's developed up to this point. Right now I think he's faster than both of them ever were at this stage. I've got a lot of nice two-year-olds, but with this horse you really get the whole package. He's got the speed, the class, and the pedigree. He's a really exciting horse to have." Another freshman runner that Jones has high hopes for is Fishers Fire. "At the start of the year, I thought this was the horse that was going to turn out to be my next Foose," Jones said referring to the horse that he campaigned to a win in the Grade I Ed Burke Million Futurity last year. "Fishers Fire had been working really, really well before his first start. Then in his race he ran really green, lugged out, and was looking all around the track. He's a horse that I definitely expect a lot of improvement from on trial night." Jones also predicts strong races from a pair of recent maiden winners in his barn in Carvalho and Lookingforchemistry. "Carvalho looked really good to me in her debut," Paul added. "I trained her dad Agouti and her mom La Dominica, who was a nice high-end claimer and allowance horse here at Los Alamitos. Lookingforchemistry looks good too. She's already started twice and ran well in both races. She made that kind of improvement in between her first and second start that you like to see, so if she improves yet again in the trials then we might really have something." Much like with Carvalho, Jones also trained Lookingforchemistry's sire, the talented Grade 1 finalist Looking For Chicks. "He came from a nice family and could really run when I had him," Paul commented. "I think Looking For Chicks could end up having some success as a stallion because he's such a good outcross to First Down Dash mares. That's something that could really work in his favor. Lookingforchemistry is the only son or daughter of his that I have, but judging from her they look like they're pretty nice horses to train and be around." Owner Gianni Samaja will also be strongly represented on trial night, as Jones will be sending out several of his runners including Three Times The Toll and Get Him Out Sa. "They both won their first starts too and look really nice," added Jones. "So did Lips On Fire. She's a filly that comes from an excellent family and really impressed me in her first race. Then in the trials to the Kindergarten she just had a terrible trip and got beat. She should bounce back and run a lot tougher on Saturday as well." Another horse that experienced a less than ideal trip in her first start was Sixes Bayou. "She got banged around at the start and had a lot of trouble," recalled Paul. "She's really well bred though. Sixes Bayou is a full-sister to Feature Mr Jess. I also really like a filly named Env. She worked a 12.10 early on this year and showed me a lot of talent. Env finished third in her first start, but really ran into a tough horse in Faster Car. That final time that she ran probably would have been good enough to win any other baby race, but the race just came up really strong." With 20 horses expected to start under the red, white, and blue colors of Paul Jones, the 43-year-old trainer has already begun to call in some additional help in the riding department. "Cody Jensen is going to stay in Ruidoso this season, but he's also going to fly out for the trials and ride several of our horses here," Paul explained. "Then after their meet is over it looks like he'll come back and ride here at Los Alamitos." LONG TIME FRIEND OF RACING GEORGE RYNES PASSES AWAY George Franklin Rynes, a cowboy at heart who spent many enjoyable years along with his wife of 35 years Barbara Rynes involved in the Quarter Horse racing industry, passed away on Sunday, May 31 after a long battle with cancer. Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on April 30, 1940, George was a great friend to the industry and along with Barbara campaign some outstanding racehorses, including 1994 Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Iron Horse of the Year Rhinestone Sneakers. After ending his service in the U.S. Marine Corps, George moved to California and spent his working years in the aerospace industry. He was a great friend to many California horsemen. "He never met a stranger," said PCQHRA Director Carol Cooper. "If you didn't know George when you first talked to him then you knew him well right after. He was a friendly and nice man. George would leave his own work to come and help you do yours. That's the type of guy he was. He liked the horses but the horses were really Barbara's babies. But Barbara was George's baby so he loved the horses just as well." His wife, Barbara; sister Barbara Jane German and her husband, Howard; two nephews, Edward and Steve German; and many loving friends survive George Rynes. Services will be held on Thursday, June 4 at 10 a.m. at: England Family Chapel 27135 Madison Ave Temecula, California 951-695-8555 A reception will follow the services. Donations can be made to the American Cancer Society. IT’S TRIPLE THE FUN FOR DOUBLE BAR S RANCH IN KINDERGARTEN With three finalists in this weekend’s $300,000 Kindergarten Futurity, Double Bar S Ranch appears to hold a very strong hand heading into Saturday night’s Grade I event. Among their three runners set to compete in this prestigious affair is the race’s fastest qualifier Effectiveimmediately. Unbeaten in two starts up to this point, Effectiveimmediately rolled to a convincing length victory on trial night, stopping the timer with a strong 300-yard time of 15.435 seconds. “We’ve never really had a run like this before,” commented Jerry Young, the ranch manager for Double Bar S Ranch. “To have only started four horses in the trials and to have qualified three to such a big race is just incredible. Add to that the fact that we bred all three runners, all three of them went favored, and all three won their trial. It was just a fantastic accomplishment. You breed for this kind of success all along and there’s so much work that goes into it with each and every horse that when it finally does happen and they run that breakthrough race, it just leaves you in awe.” BLUES GIRL TOO'S HALF BROTHER SET TO RUN Eyema Blues Man, a half brother of the multi-millionaire 2007 World Champion Blues Girl Too, will make his racing debut when he faces the talented Texas-bred colt First Down King and seven other top juveniles in Thursday's seventh race feature at 300 yards. Owned by Lucky Seven Ranch, the same racing operation that campaigned Blues Girl Too, Eyema Blues Man will enter his racing debut after posting a couple of impressive workouts for trainer Joe Bassett. The son of Mr Eye Opener had the third fastest of 46 drills on April 18 when posting a 220-yard work of :12.20 and then posted the fifth fastest of 32 works two weeks later when stopping the clock in :12.30. His quick workouts make him a horse to watch in this race, as do his bloodlines. His mother, Run The Dash, has produced a string of talented performers that have competed at the Orange County track. Blues Girl Too is at the very top of the list, as she won the Champion of Champions, Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap, Golden State Derby and the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity during a great career that saw her make over $2.03 million. Run The Dash, herself a nifty runner that finished third to Bono Jazz and Queen Of Appeals in the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity at Los Alamitos, is also the mother of The Blues Man and The Blues Girl. The latter won the Leo Handicap at this track, while the former ran third to First Place Queen in the 2002 Los Alamitos Million Futurity. Eyema Blues Man is one of three Run The Dash babies that will race in 2009, the other two are both fillies sired by Mr Eye Opener. One is named Eyema Blues Girl while the other is named Eyesa Blues Girl. Next season, Run The Dash will have a couple of Corona Cartel colts and an Okey Dokey Dale filly racing at the top Quarter Horse racetracks KAWEAH BAR GOES TO A MERE CHOCOLATE A Mere Chocolate's last start ended in disappointment for his connections. The 4-year-old stallion by The Chocolate Rocket crossed the finish in first place in a trial to the Los Alamitos Winter Championship back on January 31 but he was eventually disqualified and placed eighth, eliminating him from qualifying to the final. The end of the Kaweah Bar Handicap was a lot sweeter for the connections of A Mere Chocolate on Saturday night, as the Felix A. Gonzalez-owned sprinter dominated the 350-yard race en route to a half-length victory over stablemate Chiselled In Glory at Los Alamitos. A Mere Chocolate, who won last year's Los Alamitos Winter Derby, was picking up his fifth win in 14 career starts. After covering the Kaweah Bar distance in :17.382, the runner bred by Felix's son, Jose Luis Gonzalez, earned $13,750 for the win. He's now won $171,260. A Mere Chocolate's victory was also sweet redemption for winning jockey Juan Andrade, who had been so distraught over the disqualification in the Winter Championship trials."A lot of people told us that it was not A Mere Chocolate's fault but Juan's fault for being disqualified," Jose Luis Gonzalez said. "There were a lot of jockeys that wanted to pick up the mount on A Mere Chocolate. You know, we never wavered on riding Juan back on this horse. He has always been very loyal to us and has always worked hard and done his best with our horses. He was always going to be our jockey on this horse in this race."Juan has a great hunger for success and he will try his hardest to win a race for you," Jose Luis added. "He took it really hard when we got disqualified in the trials and then he had the misfortune of also being disqualified with our other horse First To Reach in the Winter Championship final. That's in the past. Things like that happen. When he saw that he was riding A Mere Chocolate back in this race he called us to tell us how grateful he was to have a second chance. He told us that he was going to give it his all aboard this horse, and look he won the race. I'm happy for him and I'm happy that helped us win this race. He's a good jockey and he showed it tonight." TWO YEAR OLD RACING AT LOS ALAMITOS Headlining the first baby race of the campaign is the Ed Allred-owned Peggy Fires. A daughter of Walk Thru Fire from the barn of trainer Scott Willoughby, she has a pair of bullet workouts to her credit. The fastest of 15 workers on Friday, March 6th, she drilled the 220-yard distance in 12.50 seconds. Eleven days later, she would follow that work up with another impressive drill, blazing the 220 yards in 12.30 seconds and finishing with the fastest time of 34 workouts that morning. Another logical contender is Runaway Tyme. Drawn along the rail for owner J Azevedo & Boyles Family Trust, Runaway Tyme will be the first son or daughter of Champion Of Champions winner Ocean Runaway to start here at Los Alamitos. A chestnut colt out of the On A High mare Summertime High, his dam is a half-sister to $180,883 earner Summertime Fly and Summertime Quickie, the mom of last year's Ed Burke Million Futurity winner Foose. Runaway Tyme last worked out on the morning of March 20th, turning in the 2nd fastest time of the day. Private Policy is another one to consider. A three-quarter brother to 2000's AQHA Champion Three-year-old Gelding Chicks First Policy, he comes from a very strong female family. Tylerite could also contend. A half-brother to Pomona Championship winner and $69,982 earner Perfect First, Tylerite also brings solid breeding to the table. He also has a bullet workout to his credit, as he turned in the fastest drill of the day on March 6th, stopping the timer with the exact same clocking that Peggy Fires received that same morning. Profitist and Fabulous Fifties will complete the field. A two-year-old gelding by Separatist out of a full-sister to All American Futurity winner Ausual Suspect, Profitist has every right to turn in a winning race and score the mild upset. Rounding out the field is Fabulous Fifties. A brown son of Separatist, he comes from a nice family too, as his mom was a finalist in the 2002 Governor's Cup Futurity. RACING LOSES POLLY PARSONS Polly Parsons, who along with her late husband, the successful Quarter Horse owner Jay Parsons, bred, raised and bred many champions at Los Alamitos and beyond, passed away in her hometown of Penn Valley, California earlier this week. She was 89. The Parsons raced 1989 champion 3-year-old colt Sig Hanson, 1998 champion 2-year-old First Sovereign, 2005 champion aged mare Mini Rock and graded stakes winner Red Measles among many other outstanding horses. Their breeding operation also produced three-time champion distance horse Sign Of Lanty, whose granddam Lantys Jet, was the mother of 1988 All American Futurity finalist Sig Hanson. "She loved horses so much," said Polly's daughter, Cindy Hatley. "She loved them since she was a kid and was always involved with horses in many different ways. My mom was born in Kentucky, where she learned English riding. She then lived in Paris, France in her youth and she continued to ride horses there. She eventually went to a dude ranch in Montana and that's where she met Jay. That was over 65 years ago." "Blane Schvaneveldt trained horses for my parents forever," she added. "Blane helped us achieve a lot of success for so many years. Polly always loved racing. As the years passed she didn't make it out to the track as much as she would have liked. She was great at planning trips but when it came down to the day of the trip she would say 'maybe you guys should just go on without me.' She watched the races on TV all of the time. She had some many racing nights recorded. Those recordings are still sitting there. "Chris O'Dell now trains our horses, including Terrific Energy. When she was running in the (2009 Grade 1) Charger Bar, we came from (our hometown in El Paso, Texas) to visit her," she continued. "We sat in the living room and we watched the races. She always tried not to get excited when she watched the races because 'she didn't want to be too disappointed.' She would sit there and be so nonchalant about them. When the race was going on she would just tense up and watch her horses run. On the night of the Charger Bar, she didn't want to talk about the race much. As the race was running, she was so tense but then she just exploded with joy when Terrific Energy won the race. It was such a huge thrill. "She was still so active with the horses," Hatley said. "She insisted, and I mean insisted in buying Mini Rock's brother, Minisbro, from the Blane Schvaneveldt Sale and we sure did buy that colt by golly." Hatley added that the Parsons name would continue to be featured in the sport for years to come. "We're going to continue to try to win races," she said. "We have more horses headed to Los Alamitos. We have three babies on the ground and have six more on the way." he late Jay Parsons was a 50-year consecutive breeder of Quarter Horses and as such was honored by the AQHA with a Legacy Award. Their three children, Cindy, Jay Jr. and Carol, survive Polly. Cindy's husband, Brian Hatley, and their daughters Ashley, who is married to Drew Selden, and Jennifer, who is married to Christian Helms, plus Jay Jr.'s wife, Charlotte, and their sons R.J. and John also survive Polly. In lieu of flowers, Polly wished that donations be made to the Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund, which provides long term assistance to Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse jockeys. Donations can be sent to: Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund P.O. Box 803 Elmhurst, Illinois, 60126 Phone Number: 630-595-7660 "Both of my parents believed so much in helping injured riders," added Cindy Hatley. "They had great relationships with a lot of super jockeys along the way. Polly donated to this cause and she was a strong believer." TRES PASSES IS NAMED CALIFORNIA'S HORSE OF THE YEAR AT PCQHRA AWARDS Tres Passes and his connections were among the big winners at the 2008 Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Awards Banquet held Tuesday at Los Alamitos Race Course. The winner of the Los Alamitos Two Million and Golden State Million futurities, the son of Tres Seis was voted California’s Horse of the Year and champion 2-year-old gelding. Owner Janet McKinnerney of Hondo, Texas, was on hand at Los Alamitos for the first time in about 20 years and was honored with the Owner Special Achievement Award. “I want to thank my husband Floyd because he has backed me more than anyone,” said McKinnerney. “I’d also like to thank (trainer) Blane Schvaneveldt and (jockey) Eddie Garcia and the rest of Blane’s team for everything.” Schvaneveldt, who earned the two richest wins of his career thanks to Tres Passes, was honored with the Special Trainer Achievement Awards, while jockey Eddie Garcia, who rode the Texas-bred to both of his major futurity wins, was given the Jockey Special Achievement Award for also breaking Danny Cardoza’s all-time record for most Quarter Horse wins. “Janet sends me great horses every year,” Schvaneveldt said. “Earning this award is a great achievement.” “Breaking the record was a once in a lifetime feeling,” Garcia added. “I’ve had some great teachers in my career. Danny Cardoza was one of them. I also have to thank Blane. He kept me straight all these years. My dream is now to win the Champion of Champions with Tres Passes. That’s the one race that I’ve not won in my career.” California’s honor roll continued with Ed Allred being recognized as the owner and breeder of the year, while jockey Rodrigo Aceves was the jockey of the year. Ed Burke Million Futurity winner Foose was named champion 2-year-colt and was the 2008 Leading Money Earning Cal-bred Horse of the Year, while Kindergarten Futurity winner Revv It Up took home the title of champion 2-year-old filly. Foose’s breeder, Paul Jones, earned the Breeder Special Achievement Award. One Famous Eagle, the winner of the Los Alamitos Super Derby and Golden State Derby, won the champion 3-year-old colt title, while Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap winner Stylish Jess Br was named champion 3-year-old filly. One of the most hotly contested categories was the 3-year-old gelding division, as it featured four worthy nominees in Governor’s Cup Derby winner Really A first, PCQHRA Breeders Derby winner Checker, and multiple stakes finalists Thinking First and Magic Show Czech. The award went to Thinking First, based on his runner-up effort in the Southern California Derby and his solid fourth place finish against Champion of Champions winner Jess You And I won the title of champion aged gelding, while Vessels Maturity winner Frankie Shoots was the champion aged stallion. Clydette Mia, who finished the year undefeated in five starts, was the champion aged mare. Also undefeated in his only two starts of the year, Snowbound Superstar was voted California’s champion distance horse for the third straight year. The Snowbound gelding has never lost at 870 yards in his career. “He’s probably one of the greatest horses that I’ve ever trained,” said Paul Jones, who was the trainer of the year once again. “Snowbound Superstar is all talent.” The Three Bars Award, which is given to the owner of a stallion standing in California whose foals have performed exceptionally well racing in California, went to Ed Allred’s Separatist. Allred also took home the James V.A. Carter Award for the broodmare Chickasis, the dam of Governor’s Cup Futurity winner Hard Hitting and track record holder Lassen County. The James V.A Carter Award is presented to the owner of a mare domiciled in California and whose foals have performed exceptionally well while racing in California. Cash Vessels presented the Frank Vessels Sr. Memorial Award to Charles Bloomquist for his accomplishments as one of the great Quarter Horse trainers in California and his decades of service as Vice-President of Racing and member of the PCQHRA Board of Directors. “I was at Sunland Park when I heard an announcement saying that for anyone that wanted to go to California, there was a van leaving in 30 minutes. I called California and I talked to (Racing Secretary Ed Burke) and he told me that he would give me four months but not (stabled) at Los Alamitos. I stopped at (Fairplex Park) and I talked to the stable superintendent there. “Four months turned into 40 years and in that time I’ve met a lot of good people, trained some nice horses and worked with a lot of great owners. They say that the horses will make you proud and humble you as well. Tonight I’m both.” TVG was presented at Special Recognition Award for its contribution to Quarter Horse racing. The Los Alamitos division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America also received for the first time a Special Recognition Award. “I’ve counted that we have served over 5,000 meals in the past couple of years to the people on the backside and frontside at Los Alamitos. We couldn’t do it without the support of so many,” said Aurio Bermeo, the chaplain at Los Alamitos. Knight Tori won the Iron Horse Award and Blue Piranha was named the Most Improved Horse. Carlos Huerta won the Val Tonks Memorial Award presented to an upcoming young rider. Robertson Ranch was recognized as leading Quarter Horse owner at Northern California Fairs. Danny Harrell was the Northern California fairs’ leading Quarter Horse trainer, while Gregorio Arriaga was the fair’s leading Quarter Horse jockey. Additional awards were presented to the breeders of the leading money earning Cal-breds in 10 different divisions. The breeders recognized were Paul Jones (Foose), EG High Desert Farms (Sixish, Short Czech and Clydette Mia), Chuck & Terryll Griffeth and James Markum (Revv It Up), Shultz Ranch (Fighter On Fire), Ed Allred (Dreaming Sweet), Blane Schvaneveldt and John Andreini (Frankie Shoots), Spencer Childers (Ten Oclock Scholar) and Legacy Ranch Inc. (Tokay Flame). MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR SAM THOMPSON SET FOR JANUARY 12 A memorial service for jockey Sam Thompson will be held at Cottonwood Church in Los Alamitos , California on Monday, January 12 at 2 p.m. A reception will be held at Los Alamitos Race Course immediately following the service. Cottonwood Church is located at 4505 Katella Ave. , Los Alamitos , CA 90720 . “Sam rode for so many owners and he knew so many people from so many different states that I never had the opportunity to meet,” said his girlfriend, Kristen Watanabe. “Sam’s family would love for everyone that knew him to join us on this day.” In lieu of flowers, a fund has been set up on behalf of Sam Thompson. For more information, please call 714-820-2801. Sam Thompson Memorial Fund Los Alamitos Division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America 4961 Katella Avenue Los Alamitos, CA. 90720 JOCKEY SAM THOMPSON PASSES AWAY Jockey Sam Thompson, who was injured during a spill at Los Alamitos December 20, passed away at 3:30 a.m.on Thursday morning. Since the accident, Thompson was on life support in the coronary care unit at Los Alamitos Medical Center . When he began to fail, the decision was made to remove the life support. He was 36. "Sam wanted his organs to be donated," said Kristen Watanabe, Thompson's girlfriend for 11 years. "His kidneys were removed and someone will be getting those. His mother, Gloria Thompson, (trainer) Donna McArthur, and I were there with him. It was very peaceful. "On the night of the accident I was torn apart," Watanabe added. "If he would have passed away on that night, it would have been so difficult. They resuscitated him twice and I feel like he came back to give us an opportunity to prepare. His mother had an opportunity to come (from Maryland ) to see him and so did his dad and brother. We were all able to say goodbye to him in the proper fashion. Everyone has been so wonderful in the support that they've given us. I'd like to thank them for being there for us during this time." Thompson is survived by his mother Gloria, father, Harold, step-mother Cathy, girlfriend Kristen Watanabe, brother Eric and sister Kim, and niece Jaime. At Los Alamitos Race Course, Thompson, a native of North Carolina , was one of the leaders in the jockey's room. A Jockeys' Guild Senator and the room representative at Los Alamitos, Thompson was involved with Los Alamitos management in the expansion and renovation to upgrade the jockey's room at the Orange County track. He was also a council member of the Los Alamitos division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America. "Whenever I needed to discuss something with the jockeys, Sam always took a leadership role," said Ron Church, the racing secretary at Los Alamitos. "The young riders looked up to Sam. He was a young man but he was viewed as one of the deans in the Los Alamitos jockey's room. He looked after them. He always wanted the best for his fellow riders." “Sam owned the respect of a lot of people including myself,” said jockey Cody Jensen, his fellow Los Alamitos room rep and also a member of the national senate of the Jockeys’ Guild. “He was probably as well respected and liked from coast to coast as a jockey as I’ve ever known. It’s hard sometimes to be liked by everyone when you’re a jockey, that’s just the nature of the business, and how we’re wired and programmed, but Sam managed to do that. That will be part of his legacy; just how well respected he was as a person. “He would always go to bat for a fellow rider. He tried to make a difference. He was never loud or boisterous but when he had something to say he held the respect of all the riders. When he spoke we listened. I can only hope that when I’m done, I’ll have just half of the respect that Sam earned.” "When he was at the races, Sam was always one of the first one to join in for the prayer devotions," added Aurio Bermeo, the chaplain at Los Alamitos Race Course. "I only see his smile when I think of him. He was never angry or upset. He was a good friend. He's in the Lord's hands now." Thompson was injured when his mount, the first-time starter, Harems Dynasty fell after the wire during a 300-yard maiden race for 2-year-olds. Thompson recently returned to the saddle after missing most of the 2008 season while recovering from a broken foot. Through December 15, he'd won 12 races at Los Alamitos this season. He won 600 Quarter Horse races, including 55 stakes in his Los Alamitos career. Thompson won the Los Alamitos Million Futurity in 1997 with champion This Snow Is Royal and 1999 with champion Corona Kool. He also piloted champions Tiny First Effort, Corona Cash and Deelish to name a few. He won the 2007 Go Man Go Handicap with champion FDD Dynasty, the 2006 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity with Tac It Like A Man and the 2006 Rainbow Futurity with Big Time Hero. Thompson was awarded the Special Achievement/Jockey award by the PCQHRA in 2000. The award goes to a rider who has had an outstanding year, shown significant improvement, or achieved racing success. Handle at Los Alamitos reached $2,086,568 Friday night, the 11th-highest single-night handle in track history and the highest since November 3, 2007, when the track hosted the Bank of America Challenge Championships. The program featured 10 live races, including the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1). Los Alamitos Race Course will have a Pick Six Carryover of $152,920 heading into Friday's (12-12-08)10-race program, which will be headlined by the running of the $2,038,250 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. The carryover is one of the largest ever at the Orange County track. First post time is 7:15 p.m. The Pick Six will consist of races #5-10 and starts at 8:51 p.m. The Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity is the 9th race on the card and it has an approximate post time of 10:27 p.m. For more info, call 714-820-2690. No Secrets Here has earned a berth to the $750,000 Champion of Champions Following the announcement that Bank of America Challenge Championship winner WRS Special Shoe will skip this year's Grade 1 classic for older horses at 440 yards.The Champion of Champions will be held at Los Alamitos on Saturday, December 13. No Secrets Here made the field after his runner-up effort to Little Bit Of Baja in the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials on Friday, November 21. His return to the Champion of Champions lineup is sweet redemption for his connections. Last year, the son of First Down Dash had to be scratched out of last year's race after getting cast in his stall on the days leading up to the race. If No Secrets Here wins the Champion of Champions he will earn $375,000 and raise his lifetime earnings to $1,997,095. That would make him the richest racing stallion of all-time and third richest racehorse ever, only behind three-time Champion of Champions winner Refrigerator ($2,126,309) and last year's Champion of Champions winner Blues Girl Too ($2,032,328). After the Champion of Champions, No Secrets Here will begin his stallion career at Vessels Stallion Farm, where 2007 Grade 1 Los Alamitos Invitational Championship winner Strength In Numbers and 2008 Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap winner Stylish Jess Br will head his first book of mares. "After he ran second in the Directors Trials, we left the option open to run in the Champion of Champions," said Vince Genco, the U.S. equine manager for Brazilian-based owner Benny Rosset. "Our plan is to point him to run in the Champion of Champions. The one thing that would stop us is if he goes into the race less than 100 percent. We want No Secrets Here to give us a good showing and we're really excited about having him run in this race."Benny had two horses qualify to the Champion of Champions last year but neither of them made the starting gate because of unexpected circumstances," Genco said. "I guess it wasn't meant to be last year. Benny has two horses in the Champion of Champions this year in No Secrets Here and Stylish Jess Br in Strength, so maybe we'll get lucky this year." Rosset, one of Brazil's most influential horsemen in Quarter Horse racing, will arrive to California on the morning of the Champion of Champions to enjoy the race. "Benny is very happy. It's like sweet redemption," Genco added. Say "No" to a tax on veterinary services! Governor Schwarzenegger wants to raise millions by adding a tax on veterinary services. This will be reflected directly on your bill at the end of every visit with your veterinarian. On November 6, 2008, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger called for an increase in the California state sales tax to address the multi-billion dollar deficit in the budget, and proposed a sales tax on all veterinary services. This was part of a larger combination of program cuts and revenue increases to balance the state budget. This proposal could add approximately 9% to the cost of veterinary care. Many animals will not get the necessary medical care and treatment they deserve because veterinary services will be more expensive. Increasing the cost of veterinary care will only lead to more animals being abandoned or euthanized. Here's what you can do to help stop the tax on veterinary services! Write letters, make phone calls, send emails, or fax your comments to the Governor and your elected officials. If writing, try to personalize your letter and be brief. Let them know this proposed tax will add a huge financial burden. Ask that veterinary services be removed from the Governor's proposal. If you need assistance, go to the California Veterinary Medical Association website at www.cvma.net for additional facts and contact information. Please take action today and write a letter. The Governor wants his proposal passed by the end of November so he needs to hear from you now! For your convenience we have included a list of representatives to send letters. The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger Governor of California State Capitol Building Sacramento, CA 95814 916.558.3160 Fax The Honorable Karen Bass, Speaker of the Assembly State Capitol, Room 319 Sacramento, CA 95814 916.319.2147 Fax The Honorable Don Perata. Senate President pro Tempore State Capitol, Room 205 Sacramento, CA 95814 916.327.1997 Fax The Honorable Darrell Steinberg, Senate President pro Tempore State Capitol, Room 4035 Sacramento, CA 95815 916.323.2263 The Honorable Mike Villines, Assembly Republican Leader State Capitol, Room 3104 Sacramento, CA 95814 916.319.2129 Fax The Honorable Dave Cogdill, Senate Republican Leader State Capitol, Room 3048 Sacramento. CA 95814 916.327.3523 Fax LOS ALAMITOS TO INCREASE STARTER FEE DURING WINTER PORTION OF 2009 MEET Quarter Horses that start in an overnight race during the winter portion of the 2009 Los Alamitos racing season will enjoy an increase in the guaranteed starter fee from the current amount of $300 to $500 officials at the Orange County, California track have announced. Horsemen will enjoy the hike effective with opening night of the 2009-racing season at Los Alamitos, which is now set for Thursday, January 1st, and continuing through mid April. The guaranteed starter fee means that $500 is the minimum a Quarter Horse will earn when competing in a winter overnight race at Los Alamitos. The increase in the starter fee provides a nice incentive for horsemen to race their Quarter Horses during the first three and a half months of the year. Los Alamitos officials also announced the lowering of purses for the following 2008 stakes races: the Las Damas Handicap on November 29, First Down Dash Handicap on December 20, and Marathon Handicap on December 21. Each of the three stakes races will now feature a $40,000 purse. Los Alamitos had previously released a media advisory noting that the 2008 running of the Champion of Champions would feature a $750,000 purse, down from $1 million but still the richest for older horses in the country. The purse decrease on these stakes races is due to the tough economic climate that has seen mutuel handle in California for all tracks drop anywhere from 8 to 15 percent. During the months of September and October all California tracks endured an accelerated decline in handle, which forced purse cuts at even the major Thoroughbred racetracks in California. "Horsemen can rest assured that Los Alamitos is making every effort possible to maintain the overnight purses at their present level," said Ed Allred, the owner of Los Alamitos Race Course. "The good news is that the starter fee will increase from $300 to $500 from January 1st through mid April." The 2008 Los Alamitos meeting continues on a Thursday through Sunday basis through Sunday, December 21. Major stakes races remaining in the schedule include the $2,000,000 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity on Friday, December 12, the Grade 1 Champion of Champions on Saturday, December 13, and the Grade 1 Southern California Derby on Sunday, December 14. Immediately following the closing night of the 2008 meeting on Sunday, December 21, Los Alamitos will close for training for the next seven days in order to conduct a significant freshening up of the racing surface. The track will re-open for training the morning of Monday, December 29. PCQHRA Director Charles Treece has enjoyed an outstanding season Treece broke his own single season Thoroughbred win record in the second race on Sunday after John Haagsma's Randy Monarch gave him his 69th winner of the meet. Treece, the track's all-time leading Thoroughbred trainer, had 68 winners in 2006. "I've known owner John Haagsma for a long time so that makes this win fun for me," Treece said with a smile. "His family has a hay business so I've known John since he was 2-years-old." Right after his record win, Treece immediately set a new challenge for himself. "I think I can win 80 races this season," Treece said. He will have 27 racing nights to reach the magical 80-win plateau. "I ran three horses in the first two races on Sunday and all of them got claimed," he said. "I guess I'm going to have to claim a couple of horses in order to replace them." In addition to being the runaway Thoroughbred leader, he is also third in the Quarter Horse standings with 52 victories and second in the Arabian standings with 17 wins. His overall record stands at 143 victories from 705 starts this season for an excellent win ratio of 20.3 percent. He is second to trainer Paul Jones in the overall Los Alamitos training standing. SIXISH IS FIRST TO THE WIRE IN $500,000 BREEDERS FUTURITY Denny Boer could not have dreamed of a better couple of days of racing for himself and his friends at Los Alamitos. Boer enjoyed a touching victory with co-owner Kelly Spackman and trainer Lin Melton in Friday’s $180,000 PCQHRA Breeders Derby and on Saturday Boer returned to the winner’s circle, this time with his longtime friend and Dutch Masters III partner, Dr. James Streelman, after Sixish’s mild upset in the $500,000 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity. “It doesn’t get any better than this,” Boer said. “It was Kelly and Lin on Friday and now Doc on Saturday. I can’t believe. I knew that Sixish broke super in this race but I figured that (favorite) Hard Hitting was going to blast by us but he never did.Carlos Huerta did a great job.” FINAL FOAL OF HAREMS CHOICE IS $375,000 SALE TOPPER ON DAY 2 Harems Last Dash, the final foal out of the great broodmare Harems Choice, went for $375,000 to make him the high seller on the second day of the Los Alamitos Equine Sale. The closing day of sale is set for Sunday, October 5 starting at 9:30 a.m. The session will feature hips #416 through 637. Purchased by the Harems Last Dash Syndicate, the son of First Down Dash is a full brother to champions First Sovereign and Royal Quick Dash and Los Alamitos Million Futurity winner A Regal Choice. Consigned by Vessels Stallion Farm and Robert Wood, Harems Last Dash (Hip #349) was one of three yearlings that sold for over $100,000. Saturday's yearling session enjoyed a healthy average of $16,863. A total of 163 yearlings sold for $2,748,600 Two weanlings sold for a total of $7,300. Including 41 repurchases, Saturday's session featured a gross figure of $3,454,400 from the 206 hips that went through the sale ring. Edward and Theresa Denike purchased Hip #369 for $150,000, making the daughter of Chicks Beduino named Jumpn Beduino the second highest seller on Saturday. The Lazy E Ranch, agent for John Andreini, consigned the filly out of the stakes winning mare Imjumpn. Jumpn Beduino is a full sister to stakes winners Jumpn and Jumpn Chic. Jumpn Beduino's dam is out of the champion runner Jumping Tac Flash, who has produced champion Carters Cartel and multiple Grade 1 winner Tac It Like A Man. Ray Willis, a racing commissioner in New Mexico, purchased the Mr Jess Perry filly Jess Enough Habits (Hip #303) for $135,00 from the Vessels Stallion Farm consignment. The filly out of First Femme is a half-sister to Champion Old Habits, grade 1 winner One More Habit and stakes winners First Wrangler and Habitual. Mimi Wells purchased Chickafire (Hip #263) for $77,000 to make the Walk Thru Fire filly out of the stakes producing mare Chickasis the fourth highest seller on Saturday. Chickafire is a half sister to Governor's Cup Futurity winner Hard Hitting and the stakes winner Lassen County. Charles Treece, who trains both Hard Hitting and Lassen County, signed the ticket on the next highest seller, a Hawkinson colt named Hawk Mas Dinero (Hip #274). Consigned by Oscar Andrade Jr. and Steve Burns, DVM, the colt is the first foal out of the stakes placed Corona Cartel mare Corona Mas Fina. FASTEST QUALIFER HARD HITTING TURNS IN A SMASHING PERFORMANCE PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity yielded a number of strong performances. None however were quite as impressive as the effort that PCQHRA Director Charles Treece’s two-year-old colt Hard Hitting delivered in race number ten. The gifted son of Tr Dasher won the Grade I Governor’s Cup Futurity in July, taking the $500,000 contest by an easy length. Now, he appears poised to capture another half-million dollar futurity in next month’s PCQHRA Futurity. Dutch Masters III also has reason to celebrate after their speedy gelding Sixish took the final race of the evening by a comfortable three-quarter lengths. His time of 17.400 seconds would grant him the second-fastest clocking of the evening. Already a two-time runner-up in Grade I competition here at the Orange County oval, he has been hard to outrun all year long. Earlier in the meet, he dropped a tough nose photo to Revv It Up in the Kindergarten Futurity and recently finished a length behind Foose in June’s Ed Burke Million Futurity. Danny Montes’ Zoomin Fool also turned in a strong effort, finishing second at odds of 32-1. Jess Racy Eyes and 84-1 longshot Rhythms First Choice dead-heated for the show. The finals to the $500,000 PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity will be held on Saturday October 4th here at Los Alamitos. The ten fastest times to that event are as follows: Hard Hitting (17.295), Sixish (17.400), Jessanotheraffair (17.405), Cartels First Card (17.410), Easily Amazed (17.415), Making Choices (17.425), The Stylish Side (17.480), Double Out (17.480), Zoomin Fool (17.515), and Rieda Hay Worth (17.545). 80 TO COMPETE IN TRIALS TO $500,000 PCQHRA BREEDERS FUTURITY Eight horses that have qualified to either a Grade I or a restricted Grade 1 race will headline a list of 80 runners that will compete in the trials to the rich Grade 1 $500,000 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity on Saturday at Los Alamitos. The trial that most handicappers would probably point to as the most competitive is race ten. Headlining the event is Charles Treece's Hard Hitting, the winner of this year's Governor's Cup Futurity at Los Alamitos. Idle since that Grade I triumph on July 26th, this brown colt by Tr Dasher had an easy 220-yard work on August 30th, stopping the timer in 12.7 seconds. Never worse than second in his four-race career, he was a dominant winner of his last two starts, leading at every stage of both races. Additionally, the 97 speed index that he earned in his most recent start is the highest last-out speed figure of any horse in the race, suggesting that he may be the horse to beat in trial number nine. Despite how impressive Hard Hitting was earlier this meet in the Governor's Cup Futurity, many racing fans may be eager to see a rematch between him and Double Bar S Ranch's Rieda Hay Worth. These two met earlier in the season in the trials to the Ed Burke Million Futurity on June 7th. Although Hard Hitting was bumped at the start, Rieda Hay Worth went on to win the race by an easy length and a quarter. In her most recent race, she turned in a scintillating third behind the unbeaten colt Foose and the classy gelding Sixish. Among the horses left in her wake were talented freshman like Kindergarten Futurity winner Revv It Up, two-time Grade I-finalist First Magical Dash, and a pair of highly-regarded colts in Fantastic Corona Jr and Nosecretwhosefirst. Two other runners worth considering in race number ten are Alice K White and Separate Peace, the fourth and sixth-place finishers in this year's Governor's Cup Futurity. Already a two-time winner from only three lifetime starts, the regally-bred Alice K White has done little wrong thus far this season. Out of La Primera Del Ano Derby winner Champagne Lane, Alice K White is a three-quarter sister to world-record holder and 14-time winner Kendall Jackson. She ran well in defeat in her last start, finishing only a length and a quarter behind a talented trio of runners in Hard Hitting, Jimmy Delivers, and Blue Piranha. Another logical contender is Separate Peace, a half-brother to one of the finest racehorses ever to run at Los Alamitos Race Course in Be A Bono. Visually impressive two races, Separate Peace back when victorious by a neck in his trial to the Governor's Cup Futurity. After hopping at the start and surviving a bumped break, he closed ground throughout for the victory over a quality field. He is also drawn well in post number six, a position that should flatter his late-running style. Trainer Dennis Ekins could have a big night in store as well, as he saddles two very live contenders in The Stylish Side and Ima Quick Runaway. Competing in race number six on the evening, The Stylish Side could be nearing a monster effort. He was a colossal upset in his trial to the Grade I Kindergarten Futurity earlier this year, a race he won by a half-length at odds of 49-1. However, he proved that performance was no fluke with another powerful victory in his trial to the Rainbow Futurity at Ruidoso Downs. That race proved to be a productive one as well, as the second-place finisher from that event, Buildemhigh, returned to capture the Rainbow Juvenile Invitational in his very next start. Ekins could also knock one out of the park with Ima Quick Runaway, a two-year-old gelding by Royal Quick Dash who will be competing in race number nine. He also won his trial to the Grade I Rainbow Futurity at Ruidoso earlier in the year and followed that up with an equally impressive effort in his trial to the All American Futurity in August. Dismissed at odds of 47-1 in his last out, he surprised bettors with a game third behind a talented pair of runners in Jet Black Patriot and Fasten Your Cuflinks. Jet Black Patriot would go on to run second in the All American Futurity in his next out behind Heath Taylor's three-time Grade I-victor Stolis Winner. Fasten Your Cuflinks has also demonstrated a world of talent so far this year as well, taking three out of his four career outings to date, including a pair of trials to the Ruidoso and Rainbow Futurities at Ruidoso Downs. GOVERNOR'S CUP WINNER READY FOR NEXT SET OF TRIALS Hard Hitting, the winner of the Governor's Cup Futurity, begins his quest for his second major win of the year when he headlines Saturday's trials to the $550,000 estimated PCQHRA Breeders Futurity at Los Alamitos. The Breeders Futurity final is scheduled for Saturday, October 4. The son of TR Dasher has been waiting in the wings since his runaway futurity win on California Breeders Champions Night on July 26. He will return to action after an easy 220-yard turn and work in :12.70 on August 30. "We were stretching out his legs," trainer and PCQHRA Director Charles Treece said. "He is ready to roll. With that type of a workout I wasn't worried about his time. I just wanted to get his mind into racing again. "His body is starting to change as well," he added. "His jaw is looking more and more like that of a stud," he said. "The thing about him is that he is still a quiet and easy going horse. That's how the good horses are, their demeanor usually stays the same." Hard Hitting is a colt bred by Ed Allred and purchased by a syndicate for $60,000 at last year's Los Alamitos Equine Sale. Treece also revealed the rest of Hard Hitting's schedule for 2008."Hopefully we can qualify to the Breeders Futurity final and then we'll wait until the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. We're going to skip the Golden State Million trials even though he is eligible. We had to make a choice. I think it would be too much to run from him to also run him in the Golden State Million, especially since we're planning a busy 3-year-old campaign for him next year." CLASSY NEW ARRIVALS LAND AT LOS ALAMITOS The Los Alamitos barn area recently welcomed two outstanding invaders that could be part of the major races yet to be held at Los Alamitos in 2008. The barn of trainer Jaime Gomez has welcomed Pierre & Leslie Amestoy and Mike Abraham’s Strong Hope, a gray colt by Separatist who if it weren’t for the great Heartswideopen would have won the Ruidoso and Rainbow derbies earlier this year. Champion trainer Paul Jones, meanwhile, has added another big name star to his stable in the form of Spencer Peterson’s Saint Shackleton, the co-winner of the 2006 Ruidoso Futurity and runner-up in that year’s Hobbs American Futurity. Saint Shackleton, who also ran in the 2006 West Texas Futurity and in last year’s Ruidoso Derby, has not raced since the trials to the 2007 All American Derby. Jones will take his time with the son of Check Him Out.“We don’t have any specific plans with him,” Jones said. “He’s been off for a while. We want to find the right race for him so that he can show us what he’s got before we try to run him in a big tough race.” Congratulations to PCQHRA Board Member Charles Treece and all the owners of Hard Hitting; a Los Alamitos Equine Sale Graduate Hard Hitting hit it out of the ballpark in the $500,000 Governor's Cup Futurity, winning the 350-yard race with the effort of the evening in the richest of 13 stakes races held on California Breeders Champions Night Saturday at Los Alamitos. Winning the 350-yard race with a time that equaled the third fastest in the stakes' history, Hard Hitting also provided with his owners, a group that consist of 12 shares and some 20 to 25 horse racing fanatics, with a moment that they'd never forget. It was only nine months ago that most of Hard Hitting's owners lost Bikers Bono following a racing injury in the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity. The following morning the group had a decision to make: disband or continue together in the sport. They decided to do the later, purchasing the TR Dasher colt Hard Hitting for $60,000 at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale. In the winner's circle on Champions Night, the owners and about 30 of their closest friends were celebrating victory after the year's richest race for California-breds, courtesy of Hard Hitting's length victory in a time of :17.35. "Can you believe this?" said trainer Charles Treece, who not only kept the group together but also was the one responsible for selecting Hard Hitting at the Equine Sale. "He left there running. (Jockey) Cesar De Alba fits this horse perfectly. I picked him, I liked him, but as the price for him kept going up I looked at Linda Cannon to see if I could keep going. She kept saying to bid again." 13 STAKES RACES HIGHLIGHT CHAMPIONS NIGHT It’s a tremendous all-stakes night of Quarter Horse Racing! Featuring a record total of $1,093,475 in purses! Highlighted by three Restricted Grade 1 stakes races! A total of 104 of the top California-bred Quarter Horse sprinters in the nation will come together for one night of exciting stakes races in the $1,093,475 California Breeders Champions Night to be held on Saturday at Los Alamitos. The 13-race card will feature three Pick Four wagers (1 thru 4), (6 thru 9), and (10 thru 13), with the richest race of the evening being the $500,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity. The $168,650 Spencer L. Childers California Breeders Championship Handicap and the $140,000 Governor’s Cup Derby are the next two richest stakes races to be held on Champions Night. All three of these races will each feature a 10-horse field. Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association’s premier racing night of the year will feature several other outstanding stakes races headlined by the $55,500 California Breeders Matron Stakes for distaffers and the $29,950 Jens L. List Jr Memorial Handicap for 3-year-olds. Now in its ninth installment, Champions Night is offering its richest purses ever for the California-breds. The $1.09 million in purses represents an increase of more than $50,000 from the 2008 purse figures. In addition, every horse racing on Champions Night will earn at least $600. The lineup of talented horses is grand with names like the Champions of Champions bound Frankie Shoots, 2008 La Primera Del Ano Derby winner Forgive Him, 2007 El Primero Del Ano Derby winner Not A Full Moon, Golden State Million Futurity runner-up Fighter On Fire, 550-yard track record holder El Corona Ariero, defending Spencer Childers winner Soul Of Silence, the Ed Allred’s Governor’s Cup Derby quartet of My Buddie, Really A First, Freaky, and Dreaming Sweet, and stakes winner Modem set to race. THIRD DAY ADDED TO LOS ALAMITOS EQUINE SALE It's official. The Los Alamitos Equine Sale will consist of a three-day sale in 2008 following the addition of a Broodmare, Weanlings and Mixed-Stock session that will kick off the sale weekend on Friday, October 3 starting at 9:30 a.m. The Los Alamitos Equine Sale will then follow on Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5 with two full sale days consisting purely of Quarter Horse yearlings. Friday's Broodmare, Weanlings, and Mixed Stock session will consist of nearly 200 head of horses highlighted by 124 broodmares and 42 weanlings. The Saturday and Sunday sessions will each start at 9:30 a.m. and will feature a total of 437 yearlings. More than 630 horses have been consigned to the 4th annual Los Alamitos Equine Sale, which is run by Los Alamitos Race Course's Ed Allred and Frank "Scoop" Vessels and managed by the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association. "We have for the first time separated the broodmares along with the mixed stock and some interesting weanlings to create one exciting sale day on Friday," Vessels said. "That leaves us with two full days on Saturday and Sunday of just yearlings. This will make for a very interesting sale. The broodmare catalog is as good a group as we've offered. Both Dr. Allred and Vessels Stallion Farms have consigned 25 broodmares each and these broodmares trace back to some historic families in Quarter Horse racing." The Los Alamitos Equine Sale also announced plans to make several improvements to its cashier office while also providing even more amenities to pre-approved buyers at the sale. "Pre-approved buyers will receive VIP treatment in terms of the cash out line and in preferred seating at the sale," Vessels added. "We've listened to suggestions from our buyers and consignors and we're confident that they'll see some very good improvements. These are changes that people have been asking for and talking about and we have listened." For information on pre-approval to the Los Alamitos Equine Sale contact the PCQHRA at 714-236-1755. 2008 GOVERNOR'S CUP FUTURITY A total of 68 runners competed in eight trials at 350 yards with the 10 horses with the fastest times returning for the rich final on California Breeders Champions Night on July 26. Trained by Charles Treece, Hard Hitting was outstanding in victory but he'll have to be just as good in the final as he'll be facing be facing the EG High Desert Farms-owned trio of First Magical Dash, Jimmy Delivers, and Hawkish Got Rhythm, plus a pair of runners from the father and son stable of Mike and Cody Joiner in sprinters Alice K White and Accost. The field to the Governor's Cup Futurity, which at half million dollars is the richest race on Champions Night, will also feature Separate Peace, a half-brother to 2004 World Champion Be A Bono, plus trial runner-ups Blue Piranha and Making Choices, a pair of horses that entered the trials after scoring impressive maiden wins. There were four Los Alamitos Equine Sale graduates that qualified to the $500,000 Governor's Cup. They are fastest qualifier Hard Hitting ($60,000 purchase), Accost ($14,000 purchase), Hawkish Got Rhythm ($11,000 repurchase) and Making Choices ($11,000 purchase). The complete field of qualifiers to the Governor's Cup Futurity follows: Hard Hitting (:17.36), First Magical Dash (:17.405), Accost (:17.51), Alice K White (:17.585), Jimmy Delivers (:17.585), Separate Peace (:17.59), Blue Piranha (:17.63), Hawkish Got Rhythm (:17.635), Beastly King (:17.645), and Making Choices (:17.66). GOVERNOR'S CUP DERBY Four geldings, each sired by a different stallion, all homebreds racing for Hall of Fame owner Ed Allred, were the big story on Friday's trials to the $140,000 Governor's Cup Derby at Los Alamitos. Headed by fastest qualifier Really A First and the highly touted My Buddie, Allred, a nine-time AQHA champion breeder, will also be represented by Dreaming Sweet and Freaky when the Governor's Cup final is held as part of California Breeders Champions Night on Saturday, July 26. The complete list of qualifiers to the Governor's Cup Derby is as follows; Really A First (:19.65), Shescheckinumout (:19.66), My Buddie (:19.68), Short Czech (:19.735), Ought To Be Rapid (:19.825), Checker (:17.83), Dreaming Sweet (:19.885), Precious Edna (:19.925), Freaky (:19.945), and SR Flash Gordon (:19.96). PURSES INCREASE FOR OLDER QUARTER HORSES AT LOS ALAMITOS Effective immediately, Los Alamitos Race Course has announced purse increases ranging from $600 to $800 for Quarter Horses ages three and upward competing in non-maiden claiming races at the Orange County track. Purses for 3 and upwards non-maiden QH claimers have risen between $600 and $800 On the higher claiming levels - where purses have been raised $800 per race - $10,000 claimers will now race for $10,675, again based on a 10-horse field. A field of 10 $50,000 claimers will now compete for $14,300 in purse money. Quarter Horses racing for a $2,000 claiming tag will compete for a purse of $6,970 based on a 10-horse field. Horses racing for a $7,500 claiming tag will now race for a purse of $9,505 based on a 10-horse field. In other news, Los Alamitos also announced that no Quarter Horse race - at any level - would feature a purse of less than $5,000 for a 6-horse field. This means that a field of six maiden $2,500 claimers will race for $5,000. For more information call 714-820-2788. NEW PURSE SCHEDULE 3-Year-Olds & Upward Claiming Price New Base Purse Purse with 10-Horse Entries 2000 $5300 (increase of $600) $6970 2500 $5600 (increase of $600) $7260 3200 $5900 (increase of $600) $7555 4000 $6300 (increase of $600) $7945 5000 $6800 (increase of $600) $8430 6250 $7500 (increase of $600) $9115 7500 $7900 (increase of $600) $9505 8000 $8400 (increase of $800) $9990 10000 $9100 (increase of $800) $10675 12500 $9500 (increase of $800) $11065 16000 $10300 (increase of $800) $11845 20000 $11200 (increase of $800) $12720 25000 $11800 (increase of $800) $13305 30000 $12100 (increase of $800) $13600 40000 $12600 (increase of $800) $14100 50000 $12800 (increase of $800) $14300 Allowance $12800 $14300 Allowance $13800 $15300 Overnight $17000 Trials $6000 Vessels Trials $8000 2008 ED BURKE MILLION On the night of the richest running ever of the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity, Foose showed he was worthy of all the buzz, winning the $1,155,000 first leg of the Los Alamitos Cash Bonanza in convincing fashion, while posting the second fastest clocking ever in Saturday's Ed Burke Million. Owned by 6-time AQHA Champion Trainer Paul Jones and Hall of Fame owner and breeder Ed Allred, Foose got loose from his competition right from the start, opening up a 1/2 length advantage before sailing home to a length victory over Dutch Masters III's Kindergarten Futurity runner-up Sixish. Ridden by Ramon Sanchez, Foose covered the 350-yard distance in :17.22, only 5/100ths of a second shy of Carters Cartel's stakes and track record of :17.17 set last year. Foose will now look to become the first horse ever to win the $1 million Los Alamitos Cash Bonanza bonus if he goes on to win the Golden State Million on November 1 and Los Alamitos Two Million on December 12. ED BURKE MILLION FUTURITY LIST OF QUALIFIERS Purse: $1,155,000 Date: Saturday, June 21 Distance: 350 Yards 1. Fantastic Corona Jr. Gianni Franco Samaja Paul Jones :17.415 c, Corona Cartel out of Special Queen Sa Gianni Franco Samaja Ramon Sanchez 2. Rieda Hay Worth Double Bar S Ranch Paul Jones :17.43 f, Corona Cartel out of Worth A Look Laura Pinelli Trust Ramon Sanchez 3. Sixish Dutch Masters III Jaime Gomez :17.48 g, Hawkinson out of Sixarunner EG High Desert Farms Carlos Huerta 4. Foose E. Allred & P. Jones Paul Jones :17.49 c, Stel Corona out of Summertime Quickie Paul Jones Ramon Sanchez 5. Nosecretwhosefirst Muller Racing LLC Denny Ekins :17.52 c, First Down Dash out of Secret Separation Vessels Stallion Farm Alex Bautista 6. Pipers Tune J. Kelly & N. Yearsley Paul Jones :17.535 f, Bono Jazz out of Dream Mirage J. Kelly & N. Yearsley Cody Jensen 7. Revv It Up Keilani Farms Inc Paul Jones :17.565 f, First Down Dash out of Rr Le Mistral Markum & Griffeth Ramon Sanchez 8. Runner Dreamin EG High Desert Farms Roberto Ramirez :17.585 f, Red Hot Rhythm out of Sixarunner EG High Desert Farms J.R. Ramirez 9. First Magical Dash EG High Desert Farms Adan Farias :17.61 f, Red Hot Rhythm out of Magical Dash EG High Desert Farms Rodrigo Aceves 10. Hulapai Miguel Rodriguez Miguel Rodriguez :17.625 g, Red Hot Rhythm out of Kingman Kin Ed Allred Santiago Mendez ED BURKE MILLION FUTURITY The trials to the $1,155,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity are here, and what a cast of promising young starts will step on the track throughout Saturday night for a festival of exciting Quarter Horse racing action beginning at 7 p.m. A total of 106 of the finest two-year-old sprinters currently in training will be on display, including a large number of visually-impressive maiden winners, each of which scored stylish victories in their first career start. Horses like Foose, AB Cartel, Nosecretwhosefirst all wowed the betting public with their debut efforts, earning sizzling-fast speed figures and winning by open lengths. Then there are horses like Balboa Bay, Fantastic Corona Jr, and Signficant Corona, who hail from regal bloodlines and warrant considerable excitement based on their pedigrees alone. However, despite all of the buzz surrounding these lightly-raced commodities, this weekend's trials also feature a third kind of horse: those with prior racing experience and seasoning versus stakes company at this early stage in the year. Horses like Revv It Up, Sixish, and Show Me A Beduino, all of which are coming off of strong performances in last month's Kindergarten Futurity, could shine thanks to their experience. The exciting part for the horseplayer is that on numerous times during Saturday night's card 13-race card, Los Alamitos racing fans will get to witness the inevitable collision between these lightly raced and unproven juveniles and some of their more seasoned counterparts. Such a match up occurs in race ten, when Grade I-winner Revv It Up and Donna McArthur's promising filly AB Cartel will square off in the evening's tenth trial to the Ed Buke Million Futurity. PCQHRA BOARD MEMBER DAN LUCAS Daniel Lucas is one of the most highly respected owners and breeders in the nation - and for good reasons.Lucas has enjoyed incredible success by campaigning horses such as champion millionaire Corona Kool, major stakes winners Ocean Cartel, Trisk, and Harbor Beach, and of course World Champion Wave Carver, which he bred and co-owned in partnership with Vessels Stallion Farm, Vaughn Cook, and Gary Muller. As a breeder, few horsemen have been as consistent in producing outstanding Grade 1 caliber stakes winners as Lucas. During one remarkable streak, Lucas bred three consecutive Champion of Champions winners. It started with champion Cash For Kas in 2004, followed by champion millionaire Ocean Runaway, and the aforementioned Wave Carver. Last year, Lucas enjoyed success as the breeder of Southern California Derby winner Trisk and Golden State Derby runner-up Sir Runaway Dash. In past years, he also bred the outstanding 870-yard stakes winner Harbor Beach. His accomplishments have been noticed by the powers that decide year-end honors. Lucas was named the AQHA champion breeder in 2004 after Cash For Kas won the Champion of Champions and Ocean Runaway won the Los Alamitos Million Futurity, and just this past January the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association honored him as the recipient of the Frank Vessels Sr. Award for his contributions to the sport of Quarter Horse racing. Furthermore, Lucas' brilliant dam, Runaway Wave, was named AQHA broodmare of the year in 2005. As the dam of millionaires Ocean Runaway and Wave Carver, plus the aforementioned sprinters Trisk and Sir Runaway Dash (all sired by First Down Dash) Runaway Wave has continued to produce outstanding runner after outstanding runner. On the night of the trials to the $1,155,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity trials at Los Alamitos, Lucas hopes that a new star arises from his tireless breeding efforts. His new young hope is a bay colt named Check Or Bet, who will race in the third of 13 trials to be contested on Saturday evening. The sport's all-time leading stallion First Down Dash did not sire Check Or Bet making him an anomaly as far as babies go out of Runaway Wave. Instead, Check Or Bet is by 2006 leading freshman sire Check Him Out, making him the first of what promises to be an interesting string of non-First Down Dash babies out of Runaway Wave. Dear Owners, Trainers, Breeders, and Participants: We are writing this letter to make you aware of new regulations pertaining to the use of anabolic steroids in racehorses. The California Horse Racing Board has publicly and openly stated that we intend to eliminate the use of anabolic steroids this year in California horse racing. We will begin testing for steroids July 1. To ensure you do not have a positive test, the time to stop administering steroids is now. Recognizing that anabolic steroids have been legally used in the past, we feel it is important to answer some of your likely questions about the new restrictions, provide a resource for you to contact should you have additional questions or concerns, and provide a mechanism to help you protect yourselves when you do not know the history of any horse in your care. This letter is purely informational, and we hope it is helpful to you. Should you have additional questions or need more information, please contact Dr. Rick Arthur, the equine medical director of the CHRB, either by e-mail (Dr_Arthur@chrb.ca.gov) or telephone (626-574-6351). Thank you and safe racing to all, Richard B. Shapiro Chairman California Horse Racing Board May 23, 2008 The California Horse Racing Board is providing this Q & A in an effort to answer likely questions pertaining to new regulations restricting the use of anabolic steroids. Q: When will horses that have excess levels of steroids actually result in sanctions? A: The necessary laboratory procedures and official testing of samples will begin July 1, 2008. We will start issuing complaints and/or warnings for violations after that date. Q: Will all steroid violations be treated the same? A: No. Testosterone, boldenone, nandrolone, and stanozolol are temporarily Class 4. All other anabolic steroids already are Class 2 or 3. Complaints will be issued for Class 2 or 3 violations after July 1. However, sanctions for the Class 4 steroids testosterone, boldenone, nandrolone, and stanozolol will be limited to warnings for the first few months until their reclassification to Class 3 is completed. Q: When will the warning period end for those four steroids and complaints begin? Probably in September. The first step in the regulatory process to move testosterone, boldenone, nandrolone, and stanozolol to Class 3 already has been taken. Once this regulatory is completed, all anabolic steroids will be Class 2 or Class 3. This is expected to be completed in September, at which time complaints will be issued for violations involving excess levels for those four as well. Q: Under the new penalty guidelines, what possible sanctions will result for steroid violations? A: All Class 2 and Class 3 steroid violations will result in purse redistributions and a minimum 30-day suspension for first-time offenders. Any warnings issued after July 1 for the Class 4 steroids testosterone, boldenone, nandrolone, and stanozolol could count as an aggravating factor against anyone who receives a complaint after they become Class 3. Q. What medications used at the track are anabolic steroids? A. Equipoise® (boldenone); Durabolin® (nandrolone), Winstrol® (stanozolol) and testosterone are the most common anabolic steroids used in racing. We occasionally will see trenbolone. There are many anabolic steroids available but they are not typically used in horses. If you have any questions consult your veterinarian. Q. Are anabolic steroids all completely banned? A. Veterinarians can still have and administer anabolic steroids on the racetrack. Anabolic steroids just cannot be found in post-race tests except at the threshold levels established by CHRB regulations. Q. Why are any anabolic steroids allowed at all? A. We have totally banned all anabolic steroids except four. Threshold levels have been established for testosterone, boldenone, nandrolone, and stanzolol. The first three are naturally occurring, also known as endogenous, in the horse. Testosterone is present in intact males, gelded males, and fillies. Nandrolone and boldenone are naturally occurring in non-gelded males. Even though stanozolol (Winstrol®) is a manufactured pharmaceutical anabolic steroid, the 1ng/ml level (1 part per billion) is below the detection procedures in most racing labs around the world. This level was not set to be permissive but rather to promote uniform national policies for anabolic steroids. Uniform rules do no good without uniform reporting levels. Q. Is clenbuterol an anabolic steroid? A. No. Clenbuterol is a beta-2 agonist, a bronchodilator. Clenbuterol is reported to have adrenergic (muscle building) activity but is not an anabolic steroid. Notwithstanding, late or excess administration of clenbuterol is a Class 3 violation itself. Q. What are the withdrawal times on anabolic steroids? A. As with all drugs, withdrawal times are specific to the formulation. As a group, anabolic steroids stay around for a long time, longer than any other group of drugs used in racing. Trainers should be looking at a minimum of 30 days with the water-based anabolic steroids, such as stanozolol (Winstrol®) and aqueous testosterone. The oil-based anabolic steroids, such as Equipoise® (boldenone), Durabolin® (nandrolone) and testosterone, will need a minimum of 45 days. Therefore, we are advocating that administration of these drugs stop at this time. Q. Can we rely on these withdrawal times? Are they “official?” A. Just like all other drugs, the answer is an emphatic no. These are recommendations for minimum withdrawal times. There are too many variables involved to be more specific. Dose, route of administration, specific formulation, and multiple doses are all factors that cannot be controlled. Withdrawal times on these drugs are further complicated by the common use of compounded anabolic steroids. Compounded drugs do not have the same quality control standards as drugs manufactured at FDA inspected facilities. Q. What are trainers to do to protect themselves from a positive? A. The simplest answer is to not use anabolic steroids beyond this point. Q. What about if I need to treat a horse with anabolic steroids? What can I do then? A. The horse can be treated, but you must let sufficient time pass afterwards for the administered drug to clear the system, otherwise a positive test could result. The CHRB can arrange pre-entry testing, provided the treatment is documented by your veterinarian on the Confidential Veterinarian Reports. Your veterinarian must list the horse, route of administration, dosage and drug on the Confidential Veterinarian Reports to be eligible, and the race to enter cannot be within the minimum recommended withdrawal times. Q. What will be the cost to have my horse pre-race tested, and can I routinely have all my horses tested? A: The current drug testing budget for the CHRB allows us to provide pre-race testing at no cost to horsemen through the rest of 2008, provided you meet the requirements outlined in the previous answer. If those requirements are met, a trainer could make such testing routine. Q. What if I claim a horse or buy a horse from another trainer? A. The CHRB can arrange pre-entry testing with a legitimate documentation of transfer of ownership. Q: Will California be alone in this effort? A: No, Pennsylvania and Delaware already are regulating anabolic steroids, and the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium has recommended all jurisdictions have policies to regulate anabolic steroids in place no later than the end of this year. California is better prepared than most jurisdictions, so we are ready to move forward at this time. The Ken Maddy Equine Analytical Laboratory at UC Davis began gearing up early last year for the testing of anabolic steroids once it became clear this was going to be an issue in horse racing. While California might be ahead of most other states, anabolic steroids should be effectively regulated throughout the country by the end of the year. Never before has racing medication regulation moved so closely together as with anabolic steroids. Q: What kind of notification and education are you planning to make people aware of the changes? A: The CHRB has discussed this publicly for more than a year at Medication Committee meetings and monthly Board meetings. Dr. Arthur has been in close contact with the California Thoroughbred Trainers and other horsemen’s groups in an effort to discuss and educate all parties on the new rules that are being enacted. The CHRB will schedule backside open meetings in Northern and Southern California to address any questions or concerns. Additionally, Dr. Arthur is willing to meet with trainers and veterinarians at any time to answer questions. The California Horse Racing Board has released new threshold levels for four anabolic steroids. Under the threshold levels, official urine test samples may contain one of the following drug substances, their metabolites, or analogs, in an amount that does not exceed the specified levels – stanzolol (one nanograms per milliliter), nandrolone (one nanogram per milliliter for geldings, fillies and mares; 45 nanograms for males other than geldings), boldenone (15 nanograms per milliliter in males other than geldings), and testosterone (20 nanograms per milliliter in geldings and 55 nanograms per milliliter in fillies or mares). Beginning May 31, the CHRB will regulate these steroids under Rule 1844, which is the same rule that regulates other drugs, such as clenbuterol, with specified threshold levels. California horsemen will not see any changes until July 1, when in-depth testing of routine samples for anabolic steroids begins at the University of California at Davis’ Ken Maddy Laboratory. Kindergarten trials, here are the 10 fastest times returning to compete in the Grade 1 final at 300 yards on May 17. Horse/Jockey Owner Trainer Time 1. Runner Dreamin (J.R. Ramirez) EG High Desert Farms :15.400 2. Revv It Up (Ramon Sanchez) Keilani Farms :15.420 3. Tres Passes (Cesar De Alba) Janet McKinnerney :15.445 4. Sixish (Carlos Huerta) Dutch Masters III :15.465 5. Irenes Choice (Santiago Mendez) F/F Racing Stables:15.470 6. Prouddesertqueen (Alex Bautista) Francisco Viramontes:15.485 7. Show Me A Beduino (R. Aceves) Rancho El Alacran :15.515 8. Hes Regal (Cody Jensen) Jones & Thompson :15.530 9. Loved Her First (Ramon Sanchez) Corina Molina :15.545 10 Candy Corona (Alejandro Luna) Celina Molina :15.555 Attention Horsemen Dr. Rick Arthur (CHRB Equine Medical Director) will be holding a special meeting for all trainers/owners on Saturday, April 26th at 11:00 at Schwanies (track kitchen). The purpose of the meeting is to discuss medication procedures, withdraw times and medication violations at Los Alamitos. It is imperative that all trainers/owners attend the meeting. If you have any comments or questions please contact the PCQHRA office at 714-236-1755. Ed Burke Million Nominations to the 2008 $1 million guaranteed Ed Burke Million Futurity are up 7.2%. There are currently 341 horses nominated to the Ed Burke Million Futurity, up from 318 horses nominated at this time in 2007. The Ed Burke Million serves as the first leg of the $1 million Los Alamitos Cash Bonanza. The winner of the Ed Burke can earn the $1 million cash bonus if he/she goes on to win the $1 million guaranteed Golden State Million Futurity and the $2 million guaranteed Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. The trials to the Ed Burke Million are scheduled for June 7. The 350-yard final is scheduled for June 21. The purse for the 2007 Ed Burke was $1,090,000. The purse was $1,102,000 in 2006 and $1,105,000 in 2005, which was the first year that the Ed Burke was guaranteed to be a $1 million race. In four of the last five years, the winner of the Ed Burke has also gone on to be named an AQHA divisional champion as a 2-year-old. Carters Cartel (2007), FDD Dynasty (2006), and Hawkish (2003) all parlayed their wins in the Ed Burke to champion 2-year-old colt titles. Ed Burke Million winner Higher Fire was named champion 2-year-old and champion 2-year-old filly in 2005. Fred and Nancy Scane have been around the quarter horse racing industry for quite some time now. "I guess I've been in the business for 30 or 35 years," said Fred. "I'm probably not quite as active of an owner as I used to be, but we're still very much involved in racing." Nancy Scane originally got into racing through marriage when she and Fred were wed seven years ago. "Fred really knows more about the whole thing than I do," Nancy said laughingly. "He makes all of the decisions and breeds all of our horses." She's learning more about the sport each and every day, especially as she's currently the owner of one of the top 3-year-olds on the grounds in the talented Ought To Be Rapid. The later posted the second fastest qualifying time to the El Primero Del Ano Derby, which will be contested on April 11 and you can be sure that Nancy will be on hand in the beautiful Vessels Club rooting her outstanding racehorse home. "Fred is the brains of our operation," Nancy said with a smile. "Although, I always really liked Ought To Be Rapid when he was young. I thought he was a really nice horse" A three-year-old homebred from the state of California, Ought To Be Rapid turned in a solid performance on the night of the El Primero trials on March 21, finishing a little bit over a length behind fastest qualifier Fighter On Fire. "I originally chose to breed one of our Merridoc mares named Shes Everyones Dream to Ought To Be First because I really loved his breeding," Fred Scane recalled. "He stood at Burns Ranch for a year and I always really liked him while he was here. I still think he has the best breeding of anyone in the country." And it's clear that Ought To Be Rapid has run up to his world-class breeding. Still yet to finish worse than second in his career, Ought To Be Rapid has earned $74,550 to date. A good chunk of that amount came when he ran a strong second behind Magic Show Czech in the Grade I Governor's Cup Futurity last year at two. "We actually decided to give him the rest of the year off after the Governor's Cup because he wasn't really staked in anything else that year," added Scane. "This year he's paid into a number of races though. We'll see how he does in the El Primero Derby and then we've also got him paid into the Governor's Cup Derby, the Golden State Derby, and the Southern California Derby. He's also enrolled in the Bank of America Challenge program. "My big thing is I always like to run my horses in spots where they can have the most success. I like to keep them in against Cal-breds when possible and if you can only run against 18 other horses in the trials to the El Primero Del Ano, then why not? You have to pick your spots." The Scanes have eight horses currently in training with Patricia Visscher. "I think Pat really does an outstanding job with these horses," added Fred. "She had a great year in 2007 and we're hopeful that we'll have another good year together in 2008 with this horse and with some of our new two-year-olds. "We've got a half sister to Ought To Be Rapid by Freshman sire A Regal Choice that we're pretty excited about. (Physically), she doesn't really remind me of Ought To Be Rapid that much though, she's a lot lankier. Her name is Shes Driven." Shes Driven figures to be brought along slowly to the racetrack with plans calling for her to make her first start in a maiden race before being pointed to the trials to the Governor's Cup Futurity in July. She's also paid into the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity trials. World Champion Be A Bono has been retired according to trainer Dan Francisco. Owned and bred by Hall of Famer Spencer L. Childers, Be A Bono's career ends with 14 wins from 26 starts and earnings of $1,313,348. The now 7-year-old gelding by Bono Jazz raced exclusively at Los Alamitos during his brilliant five-year racing career. The AQHA world champion, champion 3-year-old, and champion 3-year-old gelding, leaves the sport as the 19th richest horse of all time. His nine stakes wins tie him for 13th place in the history of Los Alamitos. All of his stakes wins came in either Grade 1 or Restricted Grade 1 races. Among his many accomplishments, he is one of only four horses to win consecutive runnings of the Grade 1 Vessels Maturity. Be A Bono won his final outing, finishing in a dead-heat with Brindis Por Cayenne in an allowance race on December 22, 2007. "He went out a winner and that's how he deserved to go out," said Francisco. "His little aches and pains were making it harder for him to return after each race. Spencer left it up to me to decide when he would retire. After Be A Bono won his last race, I figured that that was the perfect time to call it quits. We didn't want to take a chance of injury by running him again." CHRB EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KIRK BREED Kirk Breed, a lifelong horseman and PCQHRA lobbyist has been appointed executive director of the California Horse Racing Board. He will assume his new duties Feb 26th.The executive director, as chief executive of the agency that regulates horse racing in California, provides oversight of horse racing activities throughout the state. The executive director advises, consults, and implements the policies of the Board; oversees the enforcement and licensing activities of the agency; oversees and assigns the stewards; and directs and implements the equine drug-testing program. The salary is $116,508 annually. Breed fills the position vacant since the resignation of Ingrid Fermin on January 7, 2008. “I became interested in the job when I saw a real commitment by the Board toward meaningful change to benefit the horse-racing industry,” explained Breed. “I’m excited by the leadership provided by the current racing commissioners, and I want to be part of this effort. Breed resides in Rancho Cordova with his wife, Mary Ann, a lobbyist/consultant and fourth-generation Californian, and their 5-year-old daughter, Cloe. They belong to the Sacramento Horsemen’s Association and enjoy their horses, Mickey and Buck. In addition, Breed has three adult children, who trained and showed jumping horses, and two grandchildren, all residing in California 26 SOPHOMORE TO RUN IN $208,200 WINTER DERBY TRIALS Trials to the first Grade 1 event of the 2008 Los Alamitos derby season will be contested on Friday, with 26 sophomores competing for one of the 10 qualifying spots to the $208,200 Los Alamitos Winter Derby at 400 yards. The third of three trials will feature newly crowned PCQHRA Champion Two-Year-Old Gelding Magic Show Czech and Fighter On Fire, the leading money earning 2-year-old Cal-bred colt of 2007. EG High Desert Farms' Magic Show Czech, who won the Governor's Cup Futurity and was third in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity and fifth in the Ed Burke Million Futurity, will be joined by Golden State Million Futurity runner-up Fighter On Fire, who is owned by Rancho El Alacran. This heat shapes up as the toughest of the three, as it will also feature Kingman Kid Handicap winner High Win Warning, whose winning time of :15.19 in that overnight handicap was the fastest 300-yard time of the meet for a 2-year-old at Los Alamitos in 2007. Wicked Royal Cartel, who was undefeated in her first three starts last year, and Quarter Racing Journal Stakes winner Hawk In The City will also participate in this race. One of the horses to watch in this trial is Jose De La Torre's DLT Runaway, who was supplemented to the Winter Derby trials for $12,000 on Tuesday morning. DLT Runaway, a two-time winner last year, is coming off a third place allowance finish to Spanish Cartel, who will also be part of this trial. Trained by Adan Farias for A Regal Choice Inc., Spanish Cartel has won three of her last four starts. JP Rhythm and Answer The Dream will also be part of this tough race. My Lady First, who was outstanding in winning efforts in last year's trials to the Los Alamitos Two Million and Golden State Million futurities, will also represent Rancho El Alacran in the first trial. Runaway Ranch and Jeff and Kim Pitcher's Corona For Two, who will be making her first start at Los Alamitos after a nice three-race campaign at Ruidoso Downs, and Your Valentino, a winner in an unofficial futurity in Hermosillo, Mexico, will also compete in the first trial. The third trial will be headed by Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity finalist Tsunami Splash and Grade 1 Ford Juvenile Challenge runner-up Gomez Palacio. The latter won seven of nine starts in 2007. Philadelphia Patriot, Nuevo Cartel and Runs Hot should also challenge in this trial. The horses with the 10 fastest qualifying times will return here for the rich finale, which will award $87,444 to the winner, on Friday, February 22. BLUES GIRL TOO IS PCQHRA HORSE OF THE YEAR, LUCAS HONORED WITH FRANK VESSELS SR. MEMORIAL AWARD Lucky Seven Ranch’s Blues Girl Too was named Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, while Owner and Breeder Dan Lucas received the Frank Vessels Sr. Memorial Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the sport of Quarter Horse racing at the PCQHRA Awards Banquet held in the Finish Line Room at Los Alamitos Race Course on Tuesday, January 29. The annual Awards Banquet celebrates the achievements of California’s Quarter Horse breeders, owners, trainers, jockeys and horses. Sired by Corona Cartel, Blues Girl Too received the top equine prize of the night following a sensational campaign, capped by her victory in the $1 million Champion of Champions. Blues Girl Too, who earlier this month was named AQHA World Champion, won the Champion of Champions in a 440-yard track-record setting time of :21.13, beating the previous record held by Dash For Cash since 1976. Racing exclusively at Los Alamitos, Blues Girl Too also won the Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap and the Golden State Derby. “We’ve had an unbelievable time racing Blues Girl Too,” said owner Russell Stooks. “I think my favorite moment of last year was watching the ovation that she received when she entered the winner’s circle after the Champion of Champions. During her Champion of Champions race, I was watching her from an angle that I couldn’t quite tell if she was on the lead or not. But the fellows that were standing around me, they started saying her name ‘Blues Girl Too, Blues Girl Too, Blues Girl Too’. I’ll never forget that moment. That was so exciting.” Blues Girl Too is currently at Vessels Stallion Farm in Bonsall, California, where she will be bred to First Down Dash and FDD Dynasty. The two stallions were also honored on the night, with First Down Dash receiving the Three Bars Award for Outstanding Stallion, while FDD Dynasty was named the Champion Three-Year-Old Colt. Lucas received the Frank Vessels Sr. Memorial Award for contributions to the sport, such as breeding three consecutive winners of the Champion of Champions in Cash For Kas (2004), Ocean Runaway (2005), and Wave Carver (2006). Lucas campaigned champion millionaire Corona Kool and was part owner of World Champion Wave Carver. He also campaigned 2007 Southern California Derby winner Trisk and over the years he has raced the likes of stakes winner Ocean Cartel and Harbor Beach. Lucas is a member of PCQHRA Board of Directors and is part of the AQHA Racing Council and AQHA Racing Committee. Lucas was honored as the AQHA Breeder of the Year in 2004. “There’s not a day, let alone an hour, that I don’t think about breeding Quarter Horses,” Lucas said. “I’m thinking who I’m going to breed to in 2012 right now.” Ed Allred, the owner and president of Los Alamitos, was named Champion Owner and Champion Breeder of the Year. “I love breeding all types of horses,” Allred told the crowd at the banquet. “Quarter Horses - that’s what I enjoy the most. I get so much enjoyment from opening a racing program and seeing the horses that I own and have bred racing in all different types of races.” Lucas added, “I was talking to Laverne Perry and he said, ‘In Louisiana, we have slots, but in California, you have Ed Allred.” “We’re living at a special time in Quarter Horse racing in California,” said Frank “Scoop” Vessels. “Los Alamitos is coming off of a record with record average handles, the races have record purses in California, and we have a sales company in the Los Alamitos Equine Sale that just enjoyed a record sale. There are a lot of great things happening in Quarter Horse racing in California.” Paul Jones was named Trainer of the Year, while Rodrigo Aceves was named Jockey of the Year. Special Achievement Awards were presented to owners Benny Rosset and Keilani Farms, breeder Steve Burns DVM, trainer Adan Farias, and jockey Saul Ramirez, who in 2007 became the first pilot to win the Champion of Champions and Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity in the same year. The Val Tonks Award for up and coming young rider was presented to Cesar De Alba, currently nursing a broken wrist but who in 2007 won such races as the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity and Los Alamitos Invitational Championship in his first full year riding Quarter Horses. One of the surprises of the night was announcement of the venerable Five Bar Molly as the Champion Aged Mare. The now 10-year-old mare was chosen ahead of Blazin Fire and Strength In Numbers, who were involved in a run-off for the AQHA Champion Aged Mare title. Five Bar Molly was one of the stories of the year in 2007, as she did not race in the United States for five years while match racing in Mexico. Upon her return, Five Bar Molly defeated the opposite sex in the Vessels Maturity and also won the Miss Princess Handicap at the age of nine last year. Five Bar Molly is also the dam of stakes winner Fly Bar Special. The PCQHRA Awards Banquet also featured a silent auction that raised over $40,000 for the Los Alamitos division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America. The highlight was the live auction of a luxury suite to Staples Center in 2007, which was purchased for $5,700 by Double Bar S Ranch, and an original commission painting by Ginny Harding, which was purchased by Vince Genco for $4,000. Ed Allred’s Rolling A Ranch purchased a breeding to stallion Check Him Out for $8,500 donated by Zory Kuzyk and John Andreini, while Brad McKinzie purchased a breeding to A Regal Choice for $5,200 donated by A Regal Choice Inc. Lazy E Ranch purchased a :30 Second TV Commercial Production Package for $2,200, while Erik Flores and P.K. Thomas purchased a pair of packages donated by Track Magazine, which included lifetime subscriptions to the popular magazine, for $1,300 and $1,250, respectively. Twenty-six other items were also offered as part of the silent auction. The complete list of horses and horsemen honored at the PCQHRA Awards Banquet follows below. For more information, contact 714-820-2690. WINNERS 2007 P.C.Q.H.R.A. AWARDS HORSE OF THE YEAR "BLUES GIRL TOO" Owner / Breeder: Lucky Seven Ranch TWO-YEAR-OLD COLT "CARTERS CARTEL" Owner / Breeder: Double Bar S Ranch LLC TWO-YEAR-OLD GELDING "MAGIC SHOW CZECH" Owner / Breeder: E G High Desert Farms TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLY "EYE FOR CORONA" Owner: Keilani Farms LLC Breeder: Mla International Co THREE-YEAR-OLD COLT "FDD DYNASTY" Owner: P. Guthrie, B. Smith & Vessels Stallion Farm LLC Breeder: Fakri Fm L Ptnr / Vessels Stallion Farm LLC THREE-YEAR-OLD GELDING "LITTLE BIT OF BAJA" Owner: Vessels Stallion Farm LLC & Los Bustardos LLC Breeder: Vessels Stallion Farm LLC THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY "BLUES GIRL TOO" Owner / Breeders: Lucky Seven Ranch AGED STALLION "VOLCOM" Owner: P. K. Thomas Breeder: John Andreini AGED GELDING "STRAWKINS" Owner / Breeder: Don or Peggy Boyle AGED MARE "FIVE BAR MOLLY" Owner: A Regal Choice Inc Breeder: Five Barkers Inc DISTANCE HORSE "SNOWBOUND SUPERSTAR" Owner: Tom or Brenda Brinkley Breeder: Robert F. Pulse IRON HORSE AWARD "OOGAH CHUCKA" Owner: ROI Racing Breeder: Kapp Investment Co. LLC MOST IMPROVED HORSE AWARD "EL CORONA ARIERO" Owner: Edmundo & Elizabeth Gutierrez Breeder: Alfredo Del Toro JAMES V.A. CARTER AWARD Outstanding Broodmare "JUMPING TAC FLASH" Owner: Double Bar S Ranch LLC Breeder: David J. Payne THREE BARS AWARD Outstanding Stallion "FIRST DOWN DASH" Owner: First Down Dash Syndicate LLC Breeder: A F Stanley Jr. & B F Phillips Jr. OWNER OF THE YEAR "EDWARD C. ALLRED" BREEDER OF THE YEAR "EDWARD C. ALLRED" TRAINER OF THE YEAR "PAUL C. JONES" TRAINER - SPECIAL RECOGNITION "ADAN FARIAS" BREEDER - SPECIAL RECOGNITION "STEVE D. BURNS, D.V.M." OWNER - SPECIAL RECOGNITION "BENNY ROSSET" OWNER - SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT "KEILANI FARMS LLC" JOCKEY OF THE YEAR "RODRIGO ACEVES" JOCKEY - SPECIAL RECOGNITION "SAUL RAMIREZ JR." VAL TONKS MEMORIAL AWARD Awarded to exceptional young rider "CESAR DE ALBA" SPECIAL P.C.Q.H.R.A. RECOGNITION AWARD PRESENTED TO “TVG” For its Contribution to Quarter Horse Racing FRANK VESSELS, SR. MEMORIAL AWARD “DANIEL LUCAS” In Recognition of an Outstanding Contribution to the Sport of Quarter Horse Racing LEADING OWNER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FAIRS "BILL ABSHER & LELAND DECKER" LEADING TRAINER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FAIRS "DANNY HARRELL" LEADING JOCKEY NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FAIRS "ALFREDO MIRANDA" LEADING MONEY-EARNING TWO-YEAR-OLD CAL-BRED COLT "FIGHTER ON FIRE" Owner: Rancho El Alacran Cal-Bred Breeder: Shultz Ranch LEADING MONEY-EARNING TWO-YEAR-OLD CAL-BRED GELDING "MAGIC SHOW CZECH" Owner / Cal-Bred Breeder: E G High Desert Farms LEADING MONEY-EARNING TWO-YEAR-OLD CAL-BRED FILLY "THIS HAWK FLYS" Owner: Barre Lee Taylor Cal-Bred Breeder: E G High Desert Farms LEADING MONEY-EARNING THREE-YEAR-OLD CAL-BRED COLT "FDD DYNASTY" Owner: P. Guthrie, B. Smith & Vessels Stallion Farm LLC Cal-Bred Breeder: Fakri Fm L Ptnr / Vessels Stallion Farm LLC LEADING MONEY-EARNING THREE-YEAR-OLD CAL-BRED GELDING "LITTLE BIT OF BAJA" Owner: Vessels Stallion Farm LLC & Los Bustardos LLC Cal-Bred Breeder: Vessels Stallion Farm LLC LEADING MONEY-EARNING THREE-YEAR-OLD CAL-BRED FILLY "FANCYS FIRST AFFAIR" Owner: Tom Bradbury & Kim Kessinger Cal-Bred Breeder: Karen or Robert Nunnally LEADING MONEY-EARNING AGED CAL-BRED STALLION "VOLCOM" Owner: P. K. Thomas Cal-Bred Breeder: John Andreini LEADING MONEY-EARNING AGED CAL-BRED MARE "STRENGTH IN NUMBERS" Owner: Benny Rosset Cal-Bred Breeder: Double Bar S Ranch LLC LEADING MONEY-EARNING CAL-BRED DISTANCE HORSE "TOKAY FLAME" Owner / Cal-Bred Breeder: Legacy Ranch Inc LEADING MONEY-EARNING CAL-BRED HORSE OF THE YEAR "LITTLE BIT OF BAJA" Owner: Vessels Stallion Farm LLC & Los Bustardos LLC Cal-Bred Breeder: Vessels Stallion Farm LLC Presented by P.C.Q.H.R.A LEADING MONEY-EARNING AGED CAL-BRED GELDING "SOUL OF SILENCE" Owner: Douglas C. Rau, Marci South & Pat Visscher Cal-Bred Breeder: Sharon Brandsness Los Alamitos wrapped up its 57th racing season on Saturday, posting a record all-source average single night handle of $1,380,776 for the 202-night meet. The figure represents a 5.25 percent increase from last year's previous all-source record figure of $1,311,840. The 2007 meeting also set an all-source total handle record of $277,434,566, which is more than $14 million more than the previous record of $263,679,845 set last season. The 58th season at Los Alamitos will open on Friday, December 28. First post is 7:15 p.m. The track's handle from telephone wagering providers such as TVG, Youbet and America Tab increased 9 percent. Over the past four years, the track's average single night handle through telephone wagering has gone from $110,668 to more than $296,000 per racing night. With the Los Alamitos signal now available in Nevada, Reno and more than 100 other out-of-state outlets, the out-of-state handle increased by nearly 15 percent. Las Vegas casinos bet an average of $38,000 per night on the Los Alamitos racing program, an increase of 15 percent from 2006. The average on-track handle of $224,587 was down 2.08 percent but the in-state satellites handle was up slightly by 0.9 percent. On-track attendance was identical to last year's attendance. The Pick Four continues to be most popular wager at Los Alamitos, as the pool now regularly exceeds $90,000 while often topping the $100,000 mark. Los Alamitos hosted four different races with guaranteed purses of $1 million or more in 2007. The $2,000,000 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1) topped the list and it was the richest horse race of any breed contested in California for the fourth straight year. Los Alamitos also carded the June 23 $1,130,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity (G1), the $1,202,700 Golden State Million Futurity (G1) on November 2, and the $1,000,000 Champion of Champions (G1) on December 15. Los Alamitos had a record-tying year in terms of nights in which the handle exceeded the $2 million mark. The Orange County oval had four different $2 million nights in handle, headed by the Bank of America Challenge Championships' $2,375,988. That figure was only $3,124 away from equaling the national Quarter Horse record set at Los Alamitos in 2003. Attendance for the Bank of America Challenge Championships, which Los Alamitos hosts every other year, was up 13 percent from 2005. The season-high attendance figure for the meet was recorded on Saturday, July 14 when an estimated 12,000 people enjoyed an 11-race program. The track also had its 6th, 8th and 16th all-time highest single night handles in 2007.