Empressum, Apollitical Pence to meet again, this time in Champion of Champions

CYPRESS, Calif. - Empressum won 4 of 6 starts in 2022, the season he was honored as the nation’s World Champion Quarter Horse.

Already this year, Empressum is ahead of that schedule, at least in terms of wins, after a dynamic victory in Saturday’s $125,000 Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Championship.

Ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo, Empressum ($3.80) caught early leader Apollitical Pence in the final 100 yards to win the 440-yard race by three-quarters of a length in a quick 21.25 seconds. Apollitical Pence (3-1) finished a half-length in front of 9-5 Bomb Cyclone.

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The win sets up a tantalizing fifth meeting between Empressum and Apollitical Pence in the $750,000 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos on Dec. 9. Last December, Empressum won the Champion of Champions to clinch the World Championship, with Apollitical Pence third.

Saturday’s race was their fourth meeting, all at Los Alamitos. Apollitical Pence and Empressum were first and second in the 2022 Los Alamitos Championship and in the Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship in February.

Apollitical Pence had one start between the Winter Championship and Saturday’s race, winning a 250-yard stakes at Ruidoso Downs on Sept. 2.

Empressum had four starts between the Winter Championship and Saturday’s race, winning a trial and final of the Vessels Maturity in early summer for the second consecutive year, and the California Challenge Championship over Scoops Dynasty on Aug. 5. Scoops Dynasty and Empressum were first and second in the Go Man Go Handicap on Aug. 27.

A 5-year-old gelding, Empressum has won 5 of 7 starts this year for owners and breeders Steve Holt and Jeff Jones and trainer Heath Taylor. In his career, Empressum has won 22 of 30 starts and earned $1,834,294.

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