Zoomin for Spuds narrowly in Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship

Zoomin For Spuds earned an automatic berth to the Champion of Champions on Dec. 14 with a head win over 11-1 Eyes the Favorite in Sunday’s $157,200 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship for older horses at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by Jesus Ayala, Zoomin for Spuds broke well from the inside post in a field of 10 and led by a half-length midway through the 400-yard race. Eyes the Favorite, who started from the outside post, closed steadily to nearly catch Zoomin for Spuds, who paid $5.60 as the favorite.

Katies Easy Moves, a 5-1 chance, finished third in the field of 10.

Zoomin for Spuds was timed in 19.5 seconds on a wet-fast and sealed racetrack. Owned by Jim Walker and trained by Monty Arrossa, Zoomin for Spuds was fourth in the $600,000 Champion of Champions on Dec. 15 and won the race in 2016.

Arrossa said in the winner’s circle that he does not have any race plans in the immediate future for Zoomin for Spuds, a 6-year-old gelding who has won 14 of 37 starts and earned $779,990. Zoomin for Spuds is expected to race at Los Alamitos this year in a small number of stakes in the summer and fall designed as a preps for the Champion of Champions.