Volcom earns Champions berth

Volcom earned the first automatic berth for the $1 million Champion of Champions in December with a victory in Saturday's $236,800 Los Alamitos Winter Championship for older Quarter Horses.

Ridden by Cody Jensen, Volcom ($12.80) ran 400 yards in 19.527 seconds in the Grade 1 race, finishing a head in front of 4-5 favorite Spike it and Fly, who broke poorly. Dutch Schultz finished third in the field of 10, giving trainer Paul Jones a sweep of the first three finishers.

Volcom, 4, has won 11 of 19 starts and $379,540 for owner P.K. Thomas.

Horses can qualify to the Champion of Champions by winning major stakes through the year, or through time trials conducted in late November.

* On Friday, A Stoli Mate ($3.80) won the $202,750 Los Alamitos Winter Derby, the first major race of the year for 3-year-olds. Ridden by Rodrigo Aceves, A Stoli Mate ran 400 yards in 19.61 seconds, finishing a length in front of 17-1 Lassen County.