Empressum likely QH Horse World Champion after Champion of Champions triumph

CYPRESS, Calif. - Empressum rebounded from a narrow loss in the $125,000 Los Alamitos Championship in October to win Saturday’s $750,000 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos for his third major stakes win of the second half of the year.

The victory all but assures the title of 2022 Quarter Horse World Champion for the 4-year-old gelding.

Ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo, Empressum ($7) broke in front from the outside post in a field of 10 and led by a half-length after the first 100 yards of the 440-yard race. The outcome was essentially decided by the midway point when Empressum extended his lead to three-quarters of a length.

Empressum won by 1 1/4 lengths over 4-1 Danjer, the 2021 World Champion. Apollitical Pence, the winner of the Champion of Champions in 2020 and 2021, finished third as the 2-1 second choice, beaten two lengths. Bomb Cyclone, the 2-1 favorite, finished fourth by 2 1/4 lengths.

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Apollitical Pence was attempting to join Refrigerator (1992-1994) as the only three-time winners of the Champion of Champions.

Empressum was timed in 21.08 seconds, the fastest clocking since Apollitical Jess was timed in 20.93 seconds.

Earlier this year, Empressum won the Vessels Maturity in July and the Go Man Go Handicap in August, the two leading races for older horses at Los Alamitos in the summer.

In the Los Alamitos Championship at 440 yards, Empressum finished second as the 2-5 favorite to Apollitical Pence, who won by three-quarters of a length.

Empressum races for Steve Holt and Jeff Jones and trainer Heath Taylor. Empressum has won 17 of 23 starts and earned $1,620,025. The Champion of Champion was Empressum’s seventh stakes win.

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