He Looks Hot named named 2019 World Champion Racing Quarter Horse

He Looks Hot, the survivor of three colic surgeries in the last five years and the winner of the prestigious Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos last month, was named 2019 World Champion Racing Quarter Horse in a ceremony at Heritage Place in Oklahoma City on Wednesday evening.

Owned by breeder Ed Allred and trained by Scott Willoughby, He Looks Hot, a 7-year-old gelding in 2019, won 5 of 10 starts and earned $420,036 in a season that included a win in the $100,000 Spencer Childers Handicap in July.

In his career, He Looks Hot has won 14 of 38 starts and earned $1,618,055. He was sidelined in 2015 after undergoing two colic surgeries and had a third colic surgery in 2018.

He Looks Hot will race as an 8-year-old this year and is expected to start in Sunday’s time trials for the Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship, which has a final on Feb. 9.

He Looks Hot was also named champion aged horse and champion aged gelding of 2019. Admiral Sting was champion aged stallion and As and Js was recognized as champion aged mare.

The American Quarter Horse Association honors the outstanding colt or horse, filly or mare, and gelding among 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds and older horses and has an overall champion for those age groups.

Among 2-year-olds, Uncle D, the winner of the $1 million Rainbow Futurity at Ruidoso Downs in July, was named overall 2-year-old champion and champion colt; Cartel Jess Rockin, who won the $1,902,375 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity in December, was champion filly; and Trump My Record, who won 8 of 10 starts including the $904,600 Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star Park in November, was champion gelding.

The three 2-year-old division champions of 2018 were honored as the outstanding runners in the same categories as 3-year-olds in 2019, the first time that occurred since the 2-year-old gelding award was presented on an annual basis in 1962.

Apocalyptical Jess was the champion 3-year-old and champion gelding of 2019 for a year in which he won the $958,800 Ruidoso Derby in June. Flying Cowboy 123 was named champion colt on the strength of a win in the $344,600 Texas Classic Derby at Lone Star Park in November. The filly Flash and Roll was recognized as the champion for a season that included a win in the $1,009,700 Los Alamitos Super Derby in November.

Let There Be Sound, unbeaten in three starts in 870-yard races in New Mexico, was recognized as champion distance horse.

Among horsemen, Steve Burns of Menifee, Calif., was recognized as champion breeder. Connie Rosenthal and Chris O’Dell, who own and train the Los Alamitos stakes winners Powerful Favorite and Runforyourlife, were honored as champion owner and trainer.

James Flores, who rode Mr Jess Jenkins to a win in the All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs in September, was named champion jockey.

The champions were determined by a committee of racing executives and horsemen.