Katies Easy Moves upsets Vessels Maturity

CYPRESS, Calif. – After finishing second, third or fourth in four major stakes in the last year, Katies Easy Moves won the richest race of his career in Sunday’s $155,100 Vessels Maturity at Los Alamitos in an 11-1 upset.

Ridden by Eduardo Nicasio, Katies Easy Moves broke well and held off a threat from BH Lisas Boy to win the 400-yard race by a half-length. Katies Easy Moves ($25.80) was timed in 19.47 seconds.

Jesstacartel, the winner of the Los Alamitos Super Derby last November, finished third in a strong field. He Looks Hot, who won the Los Alamitos Championship last October, finished fourth, while Zoomin for Spuds, the winner of the 2018 Vessels Maturity was fifth. BH Lisas Boy won the 2017 Vessels Maturity.

The Vessels Maturity had nine starters, but eight finishers. Eyes the Favorite reared as the gates opened. After a stewards' inquiry, Eyes the Favorite was declared a starter.

Katies Easy Moves, a 6-year-old Utah-bred gelding earned an automatic berth to the $600,000 Champion of Champions at 440 yards on Dec. 14 with Sunday’s win. The Champion of Champions plays an important role in year-end voting.

Katies Easy Moves, who is owned by Caballo Rapido and Five LiveStock Company and trained by Monty Arrossa, has won 15 of 35 starts and earned $285,539. He began his career racing in Idaho in 2015.

Arrossa also trains Zoomin for Spuds, who won the 2016 Champion of Champions and earned a berth to this year’s race with a win in the Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship in February.

Arrossa said Katies Easy Moves and Zoomin for Spuds will be considered for the $100,000 Go Man Go Handicap at 400 yards on Sept. 1, a race trainer Bill Hoburg said he will target with BH Lisas Boy.

Katies Easy Moves was fourth in the Vessels and Los Alamitos Championship last year before finishing second in the AQHA Challenge Championship last November. Earlier this year, Katies Easy Moves finished third by a neck in the Los Alamitos Winter Championship.