Dexxter gets first stakes win in Leo Stakes

Dexxter won the first stakes of his career in Saturday’s $70,960 Leo Stakes for older Quarter Horses on Saturday at Remington Park, his first start outside of Los Alamitos Racecourse in Southern California. He paid $15.40.

After the race, trainer Monty Arrossa said a long-term goal is to take Dexxter back to Los Alamitos for the $600,000 Champion of Champions on Dec. 12.

Horses earn berths for the Champion of Champions by winning major races, primarily at Los Alamitos and a few other tracks nationwide. The winner of the $212,500 Debbie Schauf Invitational Championship at Remington Park on May 30 will receive a provisional berth.

Arrossa said the Schauf Invitational at 440 yards is a goal for the 4-year-old Dexxter, who races for Dunn Ranch and Valeriano Racing Stable.

James Flores, the leading rider at the current Remington Park meeting, rode Dexxter for the first time in the Leo Stakes at 400 yards. Breaking from post 7 in a field of 12, Dexxter was away well and led throughout, finishing a half-length in front of 8-1 Apocalyptical Jess.

Dexxter was timed in 19.44 seconds.

Apocalyptical Jess, the champion 3-year-old of 2019 and the winner of the 2018 All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs, had finished a poor eighth in the Sooner State Stakes at Remington Park on April 18 in his first start of the year.

In the Leo Stakes, Apocalyptical Jess finished a half-length in front of the multiple stakes winner Valiant Tiberias, the 7-2 second choice. Mi Amor Secreto, winner of the Oklahoma Challenge Championship on March 29, finished a troubled seventh as the 8-5 favorite.

Mi Amor Secreto was bumped by rivals on both sides at the start and failed to recover, losing by about 1 1/2 lengths.

Dexxter, a gelding by Corona Cartel, has won 6 of 16 starts and earned $279,272. Previously trained at Los Alamitos by Jaime Gomez, Dexxter was third in the Southern California Derby in December. The Leo Stakes was Dexxter’s first start of 2020.