Moonist wins third straight stakes in Los Alamitos Championship

Moonist, the champion 3-year-old Quarter Horse of 2014, confirmed his status as the favorite for the $600,000 Champion of Champions on Dec. 12 with his third consecutive stakes win Saturday in the $125,000 Los Alamitos Championship for older Quarter Horses.

Ridden by Cesar DeAlba, Moonist ($3) made his career debut at 440 yards in the Los Alamitos Championship, the same distance as the Champion of Champions. Moonist won by a half-length over Far Niente, winner of the Vessels Maturity at Los Alamitos in July. Seperate Interest finished third.

Moonist was timed in 21.50 seconds, winning for the 20th time in his 29-race career. Owned by Ron Hartley and trained by John Cooper, Moonist has earned $706,194.

Moonist had an automatic berth to the Champion of Champions from a win in the Go Man Go Handicap last month. The winner of the Los Alamitos Championship was eligible for a berth to the Champion of Champions. With Moonist having won both races, an additional berth will revert to the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials for the Champion of Champions on Nov. 15.

Aside from Moonist, four horses have earned berths to the Champion of Champions. Earlier this year, Matabari earned a berth with a win in the Los Alamitos Winter Championship. Other qualifiers are Dashin Brown Streak (Remington Park Championship), Far Niente (Vessels Maturity), and Quirky (Mildred Vessels Handicap).

Apollitical Blood earned a berth for winning the All American Derby at Ruidoso Downs on Sept. 6, but trainer Juan Aleman has plans for races in Texas and New Mexico. Berths are available for the winners of the Los Alamitos Super Derby on Oct. 31 and Bank of American Challenge Championship at Lone Star Park on Nov. 7.

Any remaining berths will go to the fastest qualifiers from the Nov. 15 trials.