Zoomin for Spuds wins Vessels Maturity, gains Champions berth

CYPRESS, Calif. - Zoomin for Spuds, the winner of the 2016 Champion of Champions, won Sunday’s $170,500 Vessels Maturity for older Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos to gain a berth in this year’s Champion of Champions on Dec. 15.

Zoomin for Spuds is trained by Monty Arrossa, who won a remarkable 11 Quarter Horse races from 19 starters in Idaho and at Los Alamitos from Friday through Sunday.

Zoomin for Spuds ($11) led throughout the 400-yard race, finishing a nose in front of 2-1 favorite Bh Lisas Boy in 19.62 seconds. Tarzanito, the fastest qualifier from the June 17 trials, finished third in the field of 10.

Arrossa trains Zoomin for Spuds for Jim Walker of Idaho. Zoomin for Spuds, a 5-year-old gelding by Zoomin for Bux, has won 11 of 31 starts and earned $650,441. Zoomin for Spuds was third in the 2017 Champion of Champions.

Arrossa, whose stable has won 40 races this year, said Zoomin for Spuds will be given a break with a prep race or two to be scheduled before the Champion of Champions.