Jess You and I wins Champion of Champions

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. - Jess You and I, a 15-1 outsider, pulled an upset and set a track record in Saturday's $750,000 Champion of Champions for older Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos.

Jess You and I ($32.40) ran 440 yards in 20.94 seconds, becoming the first horse in track history to break the 21-second mark. The race was timed from a standing start. Ridden by Alejandro Luna, Jess You and I broke the previous record of 21.13 seconds set by the filly Blues Girl Too in the 2007 Champion of Champions.

Jess You and I finished a head in front of Little Bit of Baja, who was second in the 2007 Champion of Champions. A Stoli Mate finished third, a nose in front of One Famous Eagle, the even-money favorite and star 3-year-old who was attempting to stretch his 2008 unbeaten to 6 races.

The 440-yard race was marred by a spill about 150 yards in the race when Ten Oclock Scholar fell while racing on the rail. Ten Oclock Scholar was euthanized on Sunday morning as the result of a shoulder injury, according to track officials.

Owned by Double Bar S Ranch and trained by Jaime Gomez, Jess You and I, 4, has won 10 of 18 starts and $1,172,967. The victory makes Jess You and I the leading contender for champion older horse of 2008.

Tres Passes takes Two Million Futurity

Friday, Tres Passes locked up the 2-year-old championship with a convincing win in the $2,038,250 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity, the richest victory in the storied career of 74-year-old trainer Blane Schvaneveldt.

Ridden by Eddie Garcia, Tres Passes ran 400 yards in 19.35 seconds, finishing three-quarters of a length in front of Foose. Fantastic Corona Jr finished third in the field of 10. Owned by breeder Janet McKinnerney, Tres Passes won the Golden State Million Futurity in November.

Schvaneveldt has won 38 training titles at Los Alamitos in his career.