Moonist the class of Spencer Childers field

Last July, Moonist won the Governor’s Cup Derby at Los Alamitos, his second of a record four derby wins in 2014 which led to the title of Quarter Horse champion 3-year-old.

When Moonist starts on the same program Saturday in the $100,000 Spencer Childers Handicap, the gelding will be in search of his first win in a six-figure race this year.

The Spencer Childers at 400 yards is the top race for older horses on a 12-race program for California-bred Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos. The program includes the $394,500 Governor’s Cup Futurity at 350 yards and the $195,000 Governor’s Cup Derby at 400 yards.

Moonist is by far the most prominent runner on the program, even though he has struggled this year for owner Ron Hartley and trainer John Cooper. Moonist was third after a slow start as the 1-10 favorite in the $145,500 Vessels Maturity at 400 yards on July 5.

Earlier this year, Moonist was second in the $169,800 Los Alamitos Winter Championship in February. In between those starts, Moonist won three consecutive races – the Katella and Kaweah Bar handicaps, and a division of the Vessels Maturity trials in June.

A winner of 17 of 26 starts who has earned $538,694, Moonist drew the inside post in the Spencer Childers and is part of a field of six which includes Well and Good, who was second in the Vessels in a career-best performance, and Last to Fire, who won the 2013 Champion of Champions.

Sale Topper, who was third in the $1 million Ed Burke Million Futurity on June 21, will be favored in the Governor’s Cup Futurity. Owned by track chairman Ed Allred and trained by Scott Willoughby, Sale Topper set the fastest qualifying time of 17.74 seconds for 350 yards in time trials for the Governor’s Cup Futurity on July 11.

Sale Topper drew the inside in a field of 10. Budder Think Twice, fifth in the Burke and a trial race winner on July 11, drew the outside post.

Trainer Jaime Gomez has an excellent team for the Governor’s Cup Derby in Bac in Front, who won the La Primera Del Ano Derby for 3-year-old fillies on April 3, and Forget It, who won the El Primero Del Ano Derby for colts and geldings on April 4.

Bac in Front was beaten by the Allred-owned Take a Look in the Governor’s Cup trials. Take a Look was second in the La Primera Derby.