Empressum, Scoops Dynasty renew rivalry in Go Man Go Handicap

The benefit of a recent race may give Empressum an advantage against arch-rival Scoops Dynasty in Sunday’s $100,000 Go Man Go Handicap for older Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos.

Empressum, the 2022 Quarter Horse World Champion, won the $150,000 Vessels Maturity for a record-equaling third consecutive year on July 7. The Vessels Maturity was Empressum’s first start since a second to Flash Bak in the $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park in New Mexico in January.

Scoops Dynasty, the winner of the 2023 Go Man Go Handicap by a half-length against Empressum, has not raced since a third-place finish in the Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship in February.

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Trained by Monty Arrossa, Scoops Dynasty starts on Sunday after the longest layoff of his career, which includes eight wins.

The Go Man Go Handicap at 400 yards will be the seventh meeting between the 5-year-old Scoops Dynasty and the 6-year-old Empressum, all since January 2023. Empressum has finished in front of Scoops Dynasty in five of their previous encounters, with the 2023 Go Man Go Handicap as the exception.

In their last meeting, Empressum finished second to Flash Bak in the $750,000 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos last December. Scoops Dynasty finished ninth after a poor start.

The Go Man Go, the leading late summer race for older horses at Los Alamitos, has long-term ramifications. The winner receives a provisional berth to the $700,000 Champion of Champions at 440 yards on Dec. 14.

Empressum won the 2022 Champion of Champions and secured a provisional berth for this year’s race with an easy win in the Vessels Maturity.

Empressum was ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo, who rode with a high measure of confidence, never urging the veteran. Vallejo has the mount on Empressum on Sunday. Empressum has won a remarkable 23 of 33 starts and earned $2,083,623 for owners Steve Holt and Jeff Jacobs.

Empressum and Scoops Dynasty are part of a field of seven in the Go Man Go. Empressum is trained by Heath Taylor, who also starts the capable Jeriko and Tha Duke, a multiple stakes winner in Louisiana.

Jeriko won the $903,650 Los Alamitos Super Derby last November and was fourth in the Champion of Champions a month later. Earlier this year, Jeriko was sixth after a poor start in the Los Alamitos Winter Championship, but was a good second by three-quarters of a length to Empressum in the Vessels Maturity last month.

Tha Duke was a troubled fourth by 1 1/2 lengths in the California Challenge Championship at 440 yards at Los Alamitos on Aug. 3 in his first start since late April. Tha Duke was bumped by rivals on both sides at the start and lost his running lane.

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