A full night of Cal-bred stakes racing action headed by the Governor’s Cup Futurity and Governor’s Cup Derby will headline the 26th edition of California Breeders Champions Night on Saturday at Los Alamitos. It promises to be a night of wall-to-wall Quarter Horse stakes racing action at the Orange County oval with as many as eight stakes races worth a combined $690,000 being contested on Champions Night. The festivities will kick off with a special cocktail hour for horse owners, breeders, trainers, jockeys and jockey agents in the Finish Line Room at Los Alamitos Race Course on Saturday beginning at 5:30 p.m.
The richest race of the night is the $255,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity led by Travis and Wendy Sexton’s fastest qualifier El Dictator and Steve Burns’ French Valley, who was the runner-up in the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity last month. Ten juveniles will be in action in this 350-yard event.
The $175,000 Governor’s Cup Derby could be the race of the night thanks to a tremendous lineup that includes the powerful finisher Defending Champ, two-time graded stakes winner Up To Party, Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity finalist Walking Tool, and EG High Desert Farms’ Favorite Jesshawk, who will look to sweep the Governor’s Cup Series after winning the Futurity last year. The Governor’s Cup Derby will be held at 400 yards.
The Restricted Grade 1 $100,000 Spencer Childers California Breeders Championship Handicap could feature Ed Allred’s outstanding London Toby, as he looks to join Be A Bono as the only three-time winners of this race. The ageless Cattail Cove has also been nominated while the stakes placed Up For Everything is another top runner in this race. If London Toby wins a third stakes race on this night, he’ll join champions A Ransom, Be A Bono and Quirky as the only three-time winners on Champions Night.
The $50,000 Rolling A Ranch Matron Stakes will be the talented Temple Court, a mare from the great family of Favorite Cartel and Remember Me Rose, will look for her first stakes win after many top efforts.
Other stakes events on California Breeders Champions Night are the Sprint for 3-year-olds and up, the Jens List for 3-year-olds, the Debutante for 3-year-old fillies, and a Claiming Stakes race for 3-year-olds and up at 300 yards.
Top sophomores that could race in the Jens List Stakes include multiple major futurity runner Ultimate Battle and Grade 1 finalist Norco. Major finalists Competent and Malynche could race in the Debutante Stakes. Recent winner Bravery could be in action in a wide-open test for hard-knocking sprinters in the Claiming Stakes.
LosAlamitos.com has a special California Breeders Champions Night section that includes Past Performances for nominees, an up-to-date list of past winners and all-time leaders on California Breeders Champions Night. For more information, please contact the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association at 714-236-177 or larace@losalamitos.com.
