Moonist tries longer distance in Los Alamitos Championship
CYPRESS, Calif. - Despite his 10 career stakes wins at Los Alamitos and status as champion 3-year-old of 2014, Moonist has something to prove when he starts in the $125,000 Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Championship on Saturday. He has never raced at 440 yards.
The Los Alamitos Championship is one of the year’s top races for older Quarter Horses. Befitting its status, the winner of the Los Alamitos Championship will receive a fees-paid berth for the $600,000 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos on Dec. 12, a race that plays a pivotal role in voting for year-end championships.
Moonist earned a berth for the Champion of Champions with his win in the Go Man Go Handicap at 400 yards on Sept. 20 as the 1-10 favorite. Saturday’s race will give owner Ron Hartley and trainer John Cooper a chance to test the 4-year-old Moonist before the important race on Dec. 12. A winner of 18 of 29 starts, Moonist will be a heavy favorite on Saturday.
“We need a little bit of luck when the gates open,” Cooper said on Wednesday morning.
At times this year, Moonist has struggled at the start. He stepped to the back of his starting gate stall the moment the gates opened for the Vessels Maturity in July. Moonist finished well but could do no better than third. In the Go Man Go Handicap, Moonist had a better start and won by 1 1/4 lengths.
Cesar DeAlba will ride Moonist in the Los Alamitos Championship, which drew a field of 10. Seperate Interest, French Fury, and Well and Good, second through fourth in the Go Man Go Handicap, are part of the field, along with Far Niente, who has not raced since winning the Vessels Maturity. Far Niente was scratched from the Go Man Go Handicap because of a minor foot injury, track officials said at the time.
The Los Alamitos Championship will be the California debut of Rock You, who scored a 23-1 upset in the All American Gold Cup at Ruidoso Downs on Sept. 5. Rock You was sent to Los Alamitos-based trainer Jaime Gomez shortly after that race.