LOS ALAMITOS, CA—DECEMBER 3, 2021—The year-long Quarter Horse racing season reaches its crescendo on the weekend of December 11-12, as Los Alamitos Race Course hosts the running of the Grade 1, $600,000 Champion of Champions on Saturday and the running of the Grade 1, $2.03 million Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity on Sunday. In the Champion of Champions on Saturday night, Dunn Ranch’s Apollitical Pence will look to become the first back-to-back winner of this race since SLM Big Daddy won the 1997 and 1998 runnings. Dunn Ranch will also be ...

By Martha Claussen NEW ORLEANS, LA—DECEMBER 7, 2021—One of the premier days of the annual Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots live racing season is Louisiana Champions Day. The 13-race card, saluting Louisiana-bred racehorses, is set for Saturday, December 11. Three Quarter Horse stakes will kick off the afternoon, with full fields in each of ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—DECEMBER 6, 2021—Southern Electric, a homebred 4-year-old son of Crm Livewire campaigned by Dan and Kaye Jones, is one of 10 Paints entered in Saturday’s 400-yard, $20,000 Olympia Jone Stakes at Lone Star Park. Southern Electric opened his Lone Star meet with a neck victory in the 350-yard, $39,500 Karen Utecht Stakes September 25. Ty Blackwell trains the sorrel gelding. Southern Electric drew post 8 and will be ridden by Cody Smith. The complete lineup, in post position order including ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI PHOENIX, AZ—DECEMBER 5, 2021—Chrissy Ledoux, a homebred daughter of champion FDD Dynasty racing for Ralph and Carolyn Fales, will put her win streak on the line in Friday’s ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI PHOENIX, AZ—DECEMBER 2, 2021—Valentin Jqm and Outta Debt are among the dozen sprinters entered in Wednesday’s 350-yard, $30,000 Mike Hastings Memorial Stakes at Turf Paradise. Valentin Jqm is coming off of a neck victory at odds of 11-1 in the 300-yard, $30,000 Wayne Brasher Memorial Stakes at Turf Paradise on ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI HOBBS, NM—DECEMBER 1, 2021—Zia Park will present four stakes -- all graded -- during its 10-race program on Sunday. Post time for the first race is set for 12 p.m. (MST). Following are previews of all four stakes. Zia Park Championship (G1) Eight aged runners are entered in Sunday’s 440-yard, $100,000 Zia ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 30, 2021—A total of 46 3-year-olds, headed by Grade 3 winner Famous Chief, are entered in Saturday’s 400-yard Evangeline Downs Derby at Evangeline Downs. A gelded son of One Famous Eagle trained by Eric Long for owner Ramon Calvillo Jr., Famous Chief is coming off of a three-quarter length victory on a sloppy and sealed track in the October 2, 440-yard Dash For Cash Derby (G3) at Lone Star Park. Famous Chief has won three of five races and has ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 28, 2021—Graded stakes winners Mr Spud and Doc McCrocklin are among the 100 juveniles entered in Friday’s 400-yard Evangeline Downs Futurity (G3) trials at Evangeline Downs. The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the $100,000-added Evangeline Downs Futurity final on December 30. A bay son of The Louisiana Cartel owned by Christopher A. Villatoro and a $7,200 purchase at last year’s Heritage Place Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City, Mr Spud will be ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI PHOENIX, AZ-—NOVEMBER 28, 2021—Katella Avenue, a gelded son of champion Foose owned and trained by Valentin Zamudio, is one of 22 3-year-olds entered in Thursday’s 400-yard Arizona QRA Turf Paradise Open Derby trials at Turf Paradise Racetrack. A finalist in the October 2, ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 26, 2021—Multiple derby winner Favorite Colossus will be joined by four Los Alamitos Super Derby finalists plus talented runners like Monopolist, J Best Boogie, Tuckk and Just A Dasha Hero in the trials to the Grade 2, $150,600 Southern California Derby on Sunday at Los Alamitos. The Southern California Derby trials represent the final stakes trials of the season and will the 10 horses that will move on to the 400-yard final to be held on the meet’s closing night on Sunday, December 19. Twenty-six sophomores will race in the trials that will be held in races 8,9 and 10 on Sunday. Super Derby finalists ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—NOVEMBER 25, 2021—Rockin J Running Horses’ Viva Le Don is the 6-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s 870-yard, $50,000 Devil His Due Stakes at Lone Star Park. A homebred 5-year-old Rock Solid Jess gelding trained by Tammy Johnson, Viva Le Don won three stakes during his summer campaign, all at the 870-yard distance, including the June 12, $81,000 Jesse Yoakum Memorial Stakes (R) for Texas-breds at Sam Houston Race Park. All told, the gelding has won 11 of 31 races -- including five of eight ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—NOVEMBER 24, 2021—KJ Desparado, a gelded son of world champion Apollitical Jess, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s 400-yard, $1,114,816 Texas Classic Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park. KJ Desparado is trained by Wes Giles for owners John Lee, ...