LARC NEWS Posted: 12/31/2023 7:29:36 PM

LOOKING FORWARD TO THESE MILESTONES AT LOS ALAMITOS

       As 2023 comes to a close, here’s a look at several horsemen and horses nearing victories of statistical importance at Los Alamitos.

Dunn Ranch’s Apollitical Pence, the two-time Champion of Champions winner, will begin the meet as the leading active Quarter Horse at Los Alamitos in stakes wins with seven. Only 35 Quarter Horses in this track’s history have won eight stakes races or more and only 24 have won nine or more. If Apollitical Pence continues his great stakes winning career at age of 8, he could reach lofty heights at Los Alamitos in stakes victories. Trained by Monty Arrossa, the son of Apollitical Jess is eligible to run in the trials to the Grade 1 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship.

        According to our figures, the winner of the Moonist Stakes on March 17 could become the 2,000th different Quarter Horse to win a stakes race at Los Alamitos since the track’s inaugural season in December of 1951. There has been a total of 3,695 Quarter Horse stakes races contested in the history of Los Alamitos. Charger Bar and Kaweah Bar share the all-time record with 18 stakes wins each.

        In the Quarter Horse ranks, trainer Paul Jones (right) begins the new meet less than 100 Quarter Horse wins away from the becoming the all-time leading trainer at Los Alamitos.  A 20-time leading conditioner at Los Alamitos, Jones begins the meet with 3,885 Quarter Horse wins and trails only Blane Schvaneveldt’s record of 3,982 wins.  Jaime Gomez could finish 2024 as the fifth all-time leading Quarter Horse trainer here. He needs 38 more wins to reach 1,461, which would give him fifth place. Adan Farias needs 22 more wins to become the seventh all-time leading trainer here. He’s currently at 1,134 wins with Denny Ekins ahead of him with 1,155. Felix Gonzalez needs 30 more Quarter Horse wins to reach 800. He would become only the 16th trainer to reach that mark here.   

      Trainer Jose Flores is only one Quarter Horse stakes win away from reaching 100 at Los Alamitos. He would become only the 5th trainer at Los Alamitos to reach the century mark. Trainer Scott Willoughby is only six stakes wins away from also reaching 100 here.

            As for the Quarter Horse jockeys, Eduardo Nicasio is only two stakes win from reaching 100. Nicasio would become the 10th jockey to reach the stakes win milestone. Cruz Mendez is six stakes wins away from also reaching 100. Jesus Rios Ayala begins the year with 68 stakes wins. With only two more stakes, he’ll become the 15th jockey to reach the 70 stakes win mark. In Quarter Horse jockey wins, Ramon Sanchez needs only 13 to reach 1,900 for his career. Rodrigo Aceves needs 34 wins to also reach 1,900 Quarter Horse wins.

         In the Thoroughbred ranks, trainer Keith Craigmyle is six wins away from 500 for his career.

        -30-


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