Empressum, Scoops Dynasty go at it again in Go Man Go

There are six older Quarter Horses in Sunday’s $100,000 Go Man Go at 400 yards at Los Alamitos, but the focus will be on two geldings – Empressum and Scoops Dynasty.

The pair have developed a budding rivalry this summer that could stretch into the fall and a race such as the $750,000 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos in December. The Champion of Champions is the nation’s leading race for older horses.

Empressum, the 2022 World Champion and winner of the Champion of Champions last December, is the leading older horse in the nation, but not by much.

This summer, the 5-year-old Empressum has won his last two starts against Scoops Dynasty, a neck win in the Vessels Maturity at 400 yards on July 2, and a thrilling nose victory in the California Challenge Championship at 440 yards on Aug. 5.

The nose margin does not do justice to Scoops Dynasty’s performance. The pair ran in tandem for much of the race before Empressum had his nose down at the wire.

Scoops Dynasty and Empressum were drawn side by side in the California Challenge Championship. In the Go Man Go, Empressum drew post 2, while Scoops Dynasty is in post 5.

London Toby, another well-regarded runner, has the outside post in the Go Man Go.

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Scoops Dynasty, trained by Monty Arrossa, won the prestigious Golden State Derby last August, but is winless in four subsequent starts in stakes. In February, Scoops Dynasty was third behind stablemate Apollitical Pence and Empressum in the Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship.

The Winter Championship is Empressum’s only loss in five starts this year.

Empressum has won 21 of 28 starts and earned $1,743,044 for owners and breeders Steve Holt and Jeff Jacobs and trainer Heath Taylor.

Empressum’s win in the Vessels Maturity secured a berth in the Champion of Champions. The winner of the Go Man Go receives a berth. Should Empressum win Sunday, the berth would revert to time trials in November.

London Toby was eighth in the Winter Championship and fourth in the Vessels Maturity. Trained by Scott Willoughby for track owner Ed Allred, London Toby rebounded to win the Spencer Childers Championship at 400 yards on July 29, pulling clear to beat a lesser field by 1 1/4 lengths.

London Toby was sidelined because of illness for more than a year from mid-2021 until last fall. Willoughby said after the Childers Championship that London Toby is rounding into the sort of form always expected from the 5-year-old gelding.

A start in the Go Man Go will provide another barometer of where London Toby fits against such heralded runners as Empressum and Scoops Dynasty.

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