Champion of Champions
Grade 1 race
LocationLos Alamitos Race Course
Cypress, California, USA
Inaugurated1972
Race typeQuarter Horse
Race information
Distance440 Yards (1/4 Mile)
SurfaceDirt
TrackStraight
Qualification3-year-olds and Up
PurseUS$750,000

The Champion of Champions is a stakes race annually held at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, California. It is the championship race for Quarter Horses.

The field is determined by the winners of qualifying races held around the United States.[1] The races currently are:

  • Los Alamitos Winter Championship,
  • Remington Park Championship,
  • Vessels Maturity,
  • All American Derby,
  • Mildred Vessels Memorial,
  • Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship,
  • Los Alamitos Super Derby, and the
  • Bank of America Challenge Championship.

The two fastest times in the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials receive the last two berths. The winner of the Go Man Go Handicap qualifies as the first alternate if one of the qualifying race winners does not compete.[1]

The Champion of Champion was not held in 2014 due to concerns over the widespread use of clenbuterol, a drug not permitted at Los Alamitos.[2]

Records

Speed record:

  • :20.939 - Apollitical Jess (2010)

Most wins by a jockey:

  • 4 - Jerry Nicodemus (1976, 1977, 1980, 1981)
  • 4 - Bruce Pilkenton (1983, 1988, 1983, 1984)

Most wins by a trainer:

  • 9 - Blane Schvaneveldt (1978, 1980, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995)

Most wins by a horse:

  • 3 - Refrigerator (1992, 1993, 1994)
  • 2 - Dash For Cash (1976, 1977)
  • 2 - SLM Big Daddy (1997, 1998)
  • 2 - Tailor Fit (1999, 2001)
  • 2 - Apollitical Pence (2020, 2021)

Winners of the Champion of Champions

Year
Winner
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Time
2022 Empressum Rodrigo Vallejo Heath Taylor Jeff Jones and Steve Holt 21.089
2021 Apollitical Pence Armando Cervantes Monty Arrosa Dunn Ranch 21.352
2020 Apollitical Pence Raul Valenzuela John Cooper Dunn Ranch and Valeriano Racing Stables LLC 21.442
2019 He Looks Hot Vinny Bednar Scott Willoughby Ed Allred 21.38
2018 Bodacious Eagle Cody Jensen Justin Joiner Johnny Trotter 21.472
2017 My Pyc To You Carlos M. Huerta Jose Antonio Flores Flores, Jose Antonio, Van Amburgh, Denise and Van Amburgh, Ronald 21.61
2016 Zoomin For Spuds Jesus Aylala Monty Arrossa Jim Walker 21.30
2015 Heza Dasha Fire Cruz Mendez Jose Antonio Flores S-Quarter K LLC 21.20
2014 not run
2013 Last to Fire Eduardo Nicasio Jose De La Torre Jesus Avila & Jesus Cuevas 21.10
2012 Rylees Boy Ramon Sanchez Paul Jones Lorena Velazquez Rodriguez 21.38
2011 Good Reason SA Eduardo Nicasio Paul Jones Gianni Samaja 21.44
2010 Apollitical Jess Eduardo Nicasio Juan Aleman Rancho El Cabresto 20.939
2009 Freaky Francisco Rubio Adan Farias Armando Aguirre 21.06
2008 Jess You and I Alejandro Luna Jamie Gomez Double Bar S Ranch :20.94
2007 Blues Girl Too Saul Ramirez Joe Bassett Lucky Seven Ranch :21.13
2006 Wave Carver Ramon Sanchez Paul Jones Vaughn Cook, Dan Lucas, Muller Racing and Vessels Stallion Farm :21.18
2005 Ocean Runaway Alex Bautista Denny Ekins Muller Racing LLC :21.20
2004 Cash For Kas G. R. Carter Paul Jones E.D. Calvert :21.28
2003 The Down Side Ramon Sanchez Paul Jones Johnny T.L. Jones, R.D. Hubbard and Toby Keith :21.19
2002 Whosleavingwho Joe Badilla Paul Jones Jim Geiler and Kim Kessinger :21.27
2001 Tailor Fit Alvin Brossette Janet VanBebber Betty Jane Burlin :21.47
2000 A Ransom Carlos Bautista Connie Hall John and Kathie Bobenrieth :21.46
1999 Tailor Fit Steve Fuller Steve VanBebber Betty Jane Burlin :21.46
1998 SLM Big Daddy Jacky Martin Don Mourning Steve and Lindsey Mitchell :21.53
1997 SLM Big Daddy Jacky Martin Don Mourning Steve and Lindsey Mitchell :21.20
1996 Dashing Folly Tami Purcell Donna McArthur Jaramar Ltd. :21.70
1995 My Debut Roman Figueroa Blane Schvaneveldt C.R. Potts :21.74
1994 Refrigerator Bruce Pilkenton Blane Schvaneveldt Jim and Marilyn Helzer :21.67
1993 Refrigerator Bruce Pilkenton Blane Schvaneveldt Jim and Marilyn Helzer :21.59
1992 Refrigerator Kip Didericksen Blane Schvaneveldt Jim and Marilyn Helzer :21.37
1991 Special Leader Kenneth Hart Mike Robbins Joe Kirk Fulton :21.39
1990 Dash for Speed Kip Didericksen Blane Schvaneveldt Bob Blakeman and Tom Bradbury :21.32
1989 See Me Do It Larry Layton Bobby Turner Jean Dillard :21.47
1988 Shawnes Favorite Bruce Pilkenton Bob Baffert Salinas Ranch 21.63
1987 First Down Dash James Lackey Blane Schvaneveldt Vessels Stallion Farm :21.41
1986 Gold Coast Express Danny Cardoza Bob Baffert Bill and Louella Mitchell :21.56
1985 Cash Rate James Lackey Blane Schvaneveldt B.F. Phillips Jr. and Minnie Rhea Wood :21.31
1984 Dashs Dream Danny Cardoza Mike Robbins Joe Kirk Fulton 21.84
1983 Justanold Love Bruce Pilkenton Charles Cascio J.E. Jumonville Jr. :21.68
1982 Sgt. Pepper Feature John Creager Mike Robbins Tom Neff :21.59
1981 Denim N Diamonds Jerry Nicodemus Don Farris R.D. Hubbard :21.74
1980 Lady Juno Jerry Nicodemus Blane Schvaneveldt Ivan Ashment :21.59
1979 Mr. Doty Bars Robert Adair John Cooper George and Shirley Loeb :21.78
1978 Miss Thermolark Kenneth Hart Blane Schvaneveldt Ronny Schliep :21.66
1977 Dash For Cash Jerry Nicodemus Charles Cascio B.F. Phillips Jr. and The King Ranch of Texas :21.63
1976 Dash For Cash Jerry Nicodemus Charles Cascio B.F. Phillips Jr. and The King Ranch of Texas :21.17
1975 Easy Date Donald Knight James McArthur Walter Merrick :21.71
1974 Don Guerro Robert Adair Don Francisco Robert Mitchum :21.73
1973 Charger Bar James Dreyer Wayne Charlton Ed Allred and Kenneth Wright :22.15
1972 Mr. Jet Moore Terry Lipham Earl Holmes Bob Moore :21.86

Notes

In 2010, Apollitical Jess set a new track record with a time of :20.939. Prior in 2008, Jess You and I set a new track record, becoming the first to break the 21 second barrier in the race when he recorded a time of :20.94. The second-place finisher, Little Bit of Baja, also eclipsed the old world record turning in a time of :20.97. In 2009, Freaky ran in 21.06 and in 2013 Last to Fire's time was :21.09. The previous record of :21.13 had been established in the 2007 running won by World Champion Blues Girl Too, which broke Dash For Cash's 1976 track record of :21.17.

2007's victory by Blues Girl Too made her the sport's all-time leading female earner.[3]

2005's renewal saw the first time the first four finishers of the Champion of Champions were three-year-olds.

1993 saw Refrigerator become the sport's all-time leading money earner with his victory.

During the summer of 1986, eight-year-old Sgt Pepper Feature was claimed for $12,500 and immediately retired. The superstar gelding ran fifth in his 62nd race, retiring with just over $900,000 in career earnings. The group who claimed him includes Bob Baffert and Mike Pegram.

1983's running was the first running to feature Grade I status.

1979 saw Mr Doty Bars win at 22-1.

2017 saw Mr PYC To You win at 60-1.

References

  1. 1 2 "Champion of Champions". www.losalamitos.com. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  2. ↑ "Matabari upsets Moonist in Los Alamitos Winter Championship". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  3. ↑ http://www.losalamitos.com/laqhr/stakes/results.cfm?id=662%5B%5D
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