Moonist cruises in Spencer Childers Handicap

CYPRESS, Calif. – Moonist, the 2014 champion 3-year-old Quarter Horse, won his first six-figure stakes of the year in Saturday’s $100,000 Spencer Childers Handicap for California-breds at Los Alamitos.

On the same program, Forget It won his second derby of the year in the $190,000 Governor’s Cup Derby, and Phoebes Dynasty remained unbeaten after four starts in the $389,500 Governor’s Cup Futurity.

Moonist ($2.60) ran 400 yards in 19.53 seconds, winning the Childers easily by 2 1/2 lengths over Well and Good. Cesar DeAlba rode Moonist and never urged the 4-year-old gelding.

Moonist has won 5 of 7 starts this year, including two minor stakes, but the losses came in two important races – a second in the Los Alamitos Winter Championship in February and a third in the Vessels Maturity on July 5 after a slow start.

Owned by Ron Hartley and trained by John Cooper, Moonist is a candidate for the $125,000 Los Alamitos Championship on Oct. 17, a race that offers an automatic berth for the winner to the $600,000 Champion of Champions on Dec. 12. Moonist has won 18 of 27 starts and earned $592,194.

Moonist was such a heavy favorite that Los Alamitos did not offer place or show wagering to avoid hefty minus pools.

Phoebes Dynasty made her stakes debut in the Governor’s Cup Futurity and won the 350-yard race by a neck over Budder Think Twice. Phoebes Dynasty, a gelding by Fdd Dynasty, paid $10.60 and was timed in 17.74 seconds. Eduardo Nicasio rode Phoebes Dynasty, who races for breeders Jay and Char Parsons and trainer Chris O’Dell.

Phoebes Dynasty failed to qualify for the Ed Burke Million Futurity in June despite winning a division of the trials June 7. The gelding has earned $171,620. His other wins were against maidens in May and a division of the Governor’s Cup Futurity trials July 11.

Forget It ($5.20) won the Governor’s Cup Derby by a half-length under jockey Carlos Huerta, taking the lead midway through the 400-yard race and prevailing over Bac in Front. Trainer Jaime Gomez trains the first two finishers, who were both derby winners in April. Forget It won the El Primero Del Ano Derby, while Bac in Front won the La Primera Del Ano Derby for 3-year-old fillies.

Forget It has won 7 of 11 starts and earned $363,103 for co-owners James Streelman and Gomez.