Champion of Champions (horse race)
| Grade 1 race | |
| Location |
Los Alamitos Race Course Cypress, California, USA |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1972 |
| Race type | Quarter Horse |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 440 Yards (1/4 Mile) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | Straight |
| Qualification | 3-year-olds and Up |
| Purse | US$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 10 qualifying races held around the United States.[1] These races are: Los Alamitos Winter Championship, Remington Park Championship, Vessels Maturity, All American Derby, Mildred Vessels Memorial, Los Alamitos Invitational Championship, Los Alamitos Super Derby, Bank of America Challenge Championship, Z Wayne Griffin Trials and the Go Man Go Handicap winner qualifies as the first alternate.
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)
Winners of the Champion of Champions
| Year |
Winner |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Heza Dasha Fire | Cruz Mendez | Jose Flores | S-Quarter K LLC | 21.20 |
| 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 | 20.94 |
| 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 and 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 world record, becoming the first Quarter Horse to break the 21 second barrier 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.
2014 Race Not Run to enforce stricter medication rules.
2007's victory by Blues Girl Too made her the sport's all-time leading female earner.[2]
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.