FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JULY 25, 2009

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PEACE FIRE'S VICTORY HEADLINES 11-RACE STAKES CARD ON CHAMPIONS NIGHT

LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, CYPRESS, CA... On a night that celebrated California's Quarter Horse breeders, it was appropriate that a horse bred by the great Spencer Childers won the richest race on the California Breeders Champions Night card. Childers, who passed away earlier this month, bred and raced the 4-5 shot Peace Fire, who outdueled the 42-1 longshot Shining First Dash to win the $431,000 Governor's Cup Futurity on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

Fighting back tears in the winner's circle after the race, trainer Dan Francisco said what many horsemen around the country were probably thinking at the time.

"I wish Spencer could be here to enjoy this right now," Francisco said. "He would have loved it."

A half sister to 2004 World Champion Be A Bono, Peace Fire broke her maiden by an impressive 3-1/4 lengths on June 11. She came back to win her Governor's Cup Futurity trial by 2-1/4 lengths to earn the co-fastest qualifying time to this race. In the final, Peace Fire broke a few steps behind early leader Get Him Out SA. She hooked up with Shining First Dash in the final 100 yards of the race but it was Peace Fire who came through in the end. Ridden by Eddie Garcia, Peace Fire covered the 350 yards in :17.52. The victory was the latest big money ride for Garcia, who last year won the Golden State Million Futurity and Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity with Tres Passes and this year piloted Streakin Laquinta to a dead-heat for the win in the Ed Burke Million Futurity.

"You know, Peace Fire is a handful," Francisco said. "She's a nut and she's crazy. When I saw how she was, I knew that I would need an experience rider on her. Eddie is the most experienced rider here, so that's why I went with him. I told him after the race, 'They almost got us,' and he said, 'Oh no, I had it all the way.'"

Peace Fire won the race under the ownership name of Childers Ranch LLC. The estate is now under the leadership of Childers' daughter, Patricia Childers Muzio and her children, David Spencer Muzio and Debbie Lopez. According to reports, there was a substantial offer to purchase Peace Fire before Champions Night but the sale did not materialize.

"I talked to Pat and I told her that it was a serious offer," Francisco said. "In the end, she couldn't do it. She told me, 'this might be the last great horse bred solely by my dad that we race. I think we want to keep her.' "

"We want to downsize the amount of horses that we have to about a third of what it is right now," added David Spencer Muzio. "We want to get a better feel for the bloodlines and the finances. In the future we hope to be able to build back up to what is right now. We know that we'll never be able to duplicate what my grandfather did, but how can you duplicate it? He was so great."

Peace Fire earned $178,920 for the win to take her career earnings $186,457.

Muller Racing LLC's Shining First Dash earned $72,420 for running second for jockey Santiago Mendez and trainer Denny Ekins. An Ed Burke Million Futurity finalist, the First Down Dash colt has earned $96,820 from five starts this year.

"We'll take second place," Gary Muller said. "He ran a very good race and I think he'll get better as the distances get longer."

Owned by Ed Allred and Tom Seibly and saddled by Dan Francisco, The Partys On Fire earned $51,120 for running third. Brazilian Dasher, Azshecanfly, Forrest Fire, Thinking Jazz, Get Him Out SA, Anybody Anytime completed the field. Jumpn Beduino, the second choice in the wagering in this race, bore out badly from post nine and lost rider Francisco Rubio with about 100 yards left in the race. She was not injured.

FABULOUS FREAKY WINS SPENCER CHILDERS MEMORIAL

Away from the track, Freaky is playful and fun to be around. On the racetrack, he is a terror to his rivals. The gelded son of TR Dasher posted another sensational effort to win the $100,000 Spencer L. Childers Memorial California Breeders Championship Handicap in a terrific 400-yard time of :19.19.

Before Freaky started his current hot streak, the track record at this distance was :19.27. Since then, the Armando Aguirre-owned horse has won the Vessels Maturity in :19.15, the trials to the Vessels in :19.17 and now this race in :19.19. Not only does he own the three fastest times ever recorded at Los Alamitos at 400 yards, he is the only horse to win at this distance in a time of under :19.20.

With those kinds of stats, how can anyone touch Quarter Horse racing's newest superstar?

"We were pretty confident coming into this race," Aguirre said. "We go see him in the barn and he's always happy to see us and easy going."

In particular, Freaky loves to see Aguirre's 3-year-old granddaughter, Arianna. When she's near him, Freaky can't get enough of her ponytails.

"She'll lean over and he starts biting softly and nibbling on her ponies," Aguirre said. "She loves it and so does Freaky. As soon as we get to the track, Arianna starts asking me if it's time to go take our picture with Freaky. I tell her 'Not yet, not yet.' Once the race is over, I tell her, 'Okay, now it's time to go,' " he added.

Ridden by Francisco Rubio for trainer Adan Farias, Freaky won the Spencer Childers by 1 1/2 lengths while lowering the stakes record set by Be A Bono of :19.39 in 2006. His earnings of $50,000 also lifted Freaky's bankroll to $196,300. Having already qualified to the Champion of Champions after winning the Vessels Maturity, Freaky will probably make his next appearance in the Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship on October 10. Then, it will be the Champion of Champions.

Rubio, meanwhile, was wearing brand new silks aboard Freaky. Gone were the familiar blue and white silks of Adan Farias, and instead Rubio wore shiny white silks with an emblem topped by the words "Los Reyes", which is Spanish for "The Kings".

"The kings are my son, my son in law and me," Aguirre said with a smile.

On this night, it was Freaky who was the king of the track.

Hawk In The City, a huge longshot at 47-1 odds, earned $17,000 for running second for owner Jaime A. Gonzalez. Trisk, the winner of the 2007 Southern California Derby, finished third for Lucas Racing Inc. Go Straight, Separate Bet, First To Reach, Premier Venu and Paradise Point completed the field. Separate Bet, who came into this race as the number one ranked older Quarter Horse in the nation, stumbled at the start and never threatened Freaky.

HARD HITTING SERVES UP DERBY UPSET

If it's Governor's Cup time, it must be Hard Hitting time. The fastest-qualifier to last year's Restricted-Grade I Governor's Cup Futurity, Hard Hitting went postward for that race as the post-time betting favorite, fresh off a powerful half-length win on trial night. Seventeen seconds later, he galloped out a winner after demolishing the field by an easy length. One year later, he entered the 2009 edition of California Champions Night in the Governor's Cup Derby, but the story was a little bit different this time around. Hard Hitting, who had failed to hit the board in his first three starts of the year, was sent off at long odds of 32-1

In winning the Governor's Cup Derby, Hard Hitting became only the sixth horse to capture both the Governor's Cup Futurity and Derby here at Los Alamitos. Eligible for the PCQHRA Breeders' Derby as well as the Golden State Derby, the options appear to be limitless for this three-year-old son of Tr Dasher.

"The Golden State Derby will be up next for him, but right now we're just going to try and celebrate this win," said trainer Charles Treece. "He has 12 different owners, but there are probably more like 60 people that come out to see his races. We're all just enjoying this so much with him. Now that he's won these two big races, I'd have to say he's the best Quarter Horse that I've ever trained. Another thing we're looking forward to with him is standing him at stud after he's done racing."

The tenth-fastest qualifier to this year's derby, his connections felt lucky to have even gained admission into the race. "I'm just glad we even qualified," said Curtis Treece of C.W. Davidson, et al. "As sweet as last year's win was, I think this one was even bigger because we didn't see it coming. Last year I was really particular about which clothes I wore to each of his starts. I had this feeling that if I wore my lucky shirt, that he'd keep winning races for us. This year, however, after getting beat in his first few starts, I hadn't even been wearing the shirt. I thought it wasn't worth it, but this morning I woke up and decided I'd wear it just in case. Who knows? Maybe it turned out to be the difference."

While Curtis insists that it was the lucky shirt that propelled the 32-1 longshot to victory in this $213,000 stakes affair, his father insists it was necessary throat surgery that the horse received in the off-season.

"We operated on Hard Hitting after his two-year-old year and I think it just took nature a while to run it's course and for him to heal the right way," explained trainer Charles Treece. "It was only minor surgery to correct a breathing problem that he had, but I think it took him a few starts to get fully over the procedure. Lately, he's had some trouble finishing his races, but not tonight. He looked like he wanted to run all day. I think the old Hard Hitting is back."

Those that placed their support behind Hard Hitting were rewarded handsomely for their investment, as he paid $67.60 to win, $18.00 to place, and $3.80 to show. Hector Jaime Hernandez's Hulapai turned in a stellar effort for second, only three-quarters of a length behind Hard Hitting. Post-time favorite A Tempting Dash finished third for trainer Jaime Gomez and owners Ron and Denise VanAmburgh and Giambi Stables. First Magical Dash, Alice K White, Sixish, Making Choices, Jimmy Delivers and Mr B completed the field. Fastest qualifier A Streakinson was scratched out of the race. He will be sidelined for a while after needing surgery due to a bone chip.

MY LADY FIRST TAKES THE MATRON

Racing against her own sex for the first time this year turned out to be just what the doctor ordered for Rancho El Alacran's My Lady First. A dominating length and a quarter winner of the $50,000 California Breeders' Matron Stakes, My Lady First ran up to the strength of her classy running lines. Earlier this year, she finished a close second in the Grade I Los Alamitos Winter Championship, beaten only a head by last year's AQHA Aged Champion Jess You And I.

"It seemed like she was the class of the race to me, but I was still a little worried about her though," explained her trainer Adan Farias. "We tried to take a couple embryos out of her and I wasn't sure if she was going to come back quite as strong after we did. The win felt good because it proved to us that she's back. Her head was turned sideways at the start too, but she managed to win impressively even after the poor start."

Ahead at every call of the 400-yard stakes race, My Lady First flew home the final 1/8 of a mile in a rapid 9.35 seconds. "I talked to our jockey Rodrigo Aceves right after the win and he said that she was doing it easy towards the finish," said Farias. "He told me he was just hand-riding her near the wire and that she still had some more left in the tank. We're going to point towards the Mildred Vessels Handicap for her next start. If we get lucky there, we'd love to give her a shot in the Champion Of Champions."

Finishing second in the California Breeders' Matron was Cody Joiner's Forgive Him, followed by Shescheckinumout in third. My Lady First was sent off as the public's choice at odds of 9-10, paying $3.80 to win, $2.60 to place, and $2.20 to show.

IT'S VINTAGE FOOSE IN JENS LIST MEMORIAL

The millionaire Foose performed in his usual, impressive fashion, easily winning the $25,000 Jens L. List Memorial California Breeders Stakes on Saturday at Los Alamitos. Owned by Ed Allred and Paul Jones, last year's champion 2-year-old colt led by daylight or more every step of the way to record his fifth win in nine career starts. The son of Stel Corona finished a length ahead of Enjoy The Cash while posting a time of :19.31 in the 400-yard race.

Foose's great performance also went a long way to putting behind his very troubled trip in the trials to the Governor's Cup Derby two weeks ago. In those trials, which marked his sophomore debut, Foose was the favorite to post the fastest qualifying time. Instead he ran fifth and missed making the final.

"He was doing great going into the trials," Jones said. "Horses around him got a little fractious while he was in the gate. The horses in the far outside reared up and Foose thought it was time to go. He hit the gate and then he reared back a little bit. That took a lot out of him. He dinged his head pretty good. When he left the gates he went to the left and Ramon had pulled on the reins pretty hard. With that entire happening, he basically spit the bit out. It was a bad out. It happens sometimes.

"I wished he would have qualified to the derby because look at the type of race he ran tonight," Jones added. "I really feel that he would have been tough to beat if he would have made it into the final."

Foose will still have his chance to do his thing in major races this year.

"He's in all the derbies," added Fred Scane, the stallion manager for Ed Allred.

Foose earned $13,750 for the win to take his lifetime bankroll to $1,051,628. Pat Visscher's Enjoy The Cash earned $5,625 for running second. Dreaming Royal, Cruz Pedragon, Freaking, Dash Dinastia, Regal Guy, Avitar and Double Out completed the field.

REVV IT UP OUTDUELS RIVAL IN DEBUTANTE

Keilani Farms LLC's Revv It Up outdueled Flying Regal by a nose to win her season debut in the $25,000 Debutante Handicap for fillies. With the combination of trainer Paul Jones and jockey Ramon Sanchez, who combined to win three races on Champions Night races, Revv It Up covered the distance in :17.42 to record her first win since her trial to the Golden State Million Futurity. Revv It Up began her freshman campaign with four straight wins, including the Kindergarten Futurity en route to being named the PCQHRA Champion 2-Year-Old Filly in 2008.

"I thought she ran a great race after a long layoff," Jones said. "They pulled two or three embryos out of her this year. This is the first step on what we hope will be a very nice year for her. We'll go in the Golden State Derby next."

Having returned to racing after a long time away from the track, how will Revv It Up perform in her next start back?

"Some horses bounce back great in that second start and some horses do not," Jones explained. "Sometimes it depends on the horse and sometimes it depends on how you've trained the horse. She was ready tonight. I think she'll do well."

FORMER CHAMPION JOCKEY BADILLA EARNS FIRST STAKES WIN AS TRAINER

Winning stakes races on the back of a Quarter Horse sprinter was never a problem for former jockey Joe Badilla, Jr. Winning them as a trainer could soon become a habit for Badilla as well. One of the sport's all-time leaders in career victories here at Los Alamitos, the 35-year-old former champion jockey retired from riding in 2004. Now a trainer, Badilla scored his first career stakes win in the $25,000 California Breeders' Freshman Stakes with Corona Cal. A three-time winner from only four outs, this two-year-old son of Corona Czech could have a very bright future in store.

"This is my ninth win as a trainer this year, but my first stakes win ever," commented Joe Badilla, Jr. "He looked super tonight. I'd have to say that he's the best juvenile prospect that I've ever had as a trainer. His original owner passed away recently and when it came time for the family to sell off his horses, a lot of people became very interested. That's how the 21 Partnership was formed. He's paid into the PCQHRA Breeders' Futurity, but right now we just want to see how he came back and make a decision about where he'll start next after that. We think this one could end up being pretty special."

Post-time favorite Corona Cal rewarded his supporters with $5.80 to win, $3.60 to place, and $3.00 to show.

RAFTING FINDS HIS NICHE

Oftentimes horses performing at the 550-yard distance for their first time will turn in a career best type of effort. That was exactly the case with Manuel Torres, Jr.'s three-year-old Rafting, an impressive winner of the California Breeders' 550 Sophomore Stakes. Now a perfect-two-for-two since being claimed by trainer Hector Jaime Hernandez, the son of Tr Dasher used a $5,000 maiden claiming victory last month as a springboard to his first career victory. Paying $12.20 to win, $3.60 to place, and $3.80 to show, Rafting scored by an easy length courtesy of a powerful late run.

"This is his perfect distance," pointed out Hector Jaime Hernandez. "I thought he ran an awesome race. I used to train this horse in 2008, so I was already familiar with him before we claimed him two starts back. I always thought he had a lot of potential and that he just needed some time to mature. The distance of this race at 550 yards was the main reason we wanted to run him. It looks like he may have found his niche."

The race was marred by a spill involving the Separatist gelding Dee Wayne, who had jockey Carlos Bautista aboard. The rider was transported to Los Alamitos Medical Center where it was revealed that he had suffered a broken left leg. The injured horse was vanned off.

TWO IN A ROW FOR A CORONA ROYAL

Sergio Morfin and trainer Charles Treece have become quite a team over the years here at Los Alamitos Race Course. Partners for over 20 years now, Morfin and Treece scored yet another victory together in the $10,000 Senior Claiming Stakes with the four-year-old gelding A Corona Royal. "It really feels good when you're able to bring home a stakes win for one of your oldest and most loyal clients," commented trainer Charles Treece. "Sergio is kind of the backbone of our whole operation, so this is the kind of thing you really work for as a trainer."

Victorious in his last start on July 2nd, A Corona Royal made it back-to-back wins in tonight's Senior Claiming Stakes. Rewarding his backers with $7.80 to win, $4.60 to place, and $4.20 to show, the son of Corona Czech scored by a narrow nose at the wire. "I'm just glad the race was at 400 yards," said Treece. "He needed every bit of it, but he finally caught up to them and got the win. This horse is really sharp right now, having won his last two. I'd also like to give credit to our jockey Joel Valadez. He rode the horse perfectly."

NEW PURCHASE SHINES IN CLAIMING STAKES

Seven weeks after claiming A Regal Secret for $5,000, owner Ismael Romero was celebrating in the winner's circle on California Breeders Champions Night thanks to his new purchase. Trained by Romero's cousin, Hector Jaime Hernandez, and ridden by Rodrigo Aceves, A Regal Secret easily won the $5,000 Sophomore Claiming Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths while covering the distance in :17.56.

Bred by Spencer Childers, A Regal Secret was picking up only his second in 12 starts but since being dropped to the $5,000 ranks he has finished second and now won this race.

"We loved his previous running times," said Romero. "He has posted some pretty fast times and that's why we decided to claim him."

Romero is a horseman by trade. "Horses is all that I do," said the native of Zacatecas, Mexico. "We had horses when I was growing up but nothing like I do now. I've been racing horses for 15 years and I've probably have had over 30 horses in that span. I have some horses in my place in Long Beach, it is part hobby but also what I do. I've had a great time racing my horses."

A Regal Secret earned $8,250 for the win. Kept A Secret crossed the wire second but was disqualified due to interference. Connive was moved up from third to second and was followed across the wire by Hawkinson Time, Count On Eds Picks, Sawmill Dasher, First Dash For Bux, Paolo, Call Me A Yankee and Cruising The Loop.

O'BRIEN THRILLED TO BE BACK IN WINNER'S CIRCLE

A familiar face at Los Alamitos for more than 10 years, owner Ken O'Brien has not been as active in the sport over the past year or so. His lack of activity in Quarter Horse racing was something that O'Brien decided to change a couple of weeks ago.

"I was talking to (trainer) Paul Jones and I told him that there was something missing in my life," O'Brien said. "I told Paul that I missed the fun times we had together at the track. That's when I decided to get back to owning horses. Paul had a couple of horses that owners were willing to sell and I ended up buying two."

One of the horses that O'Brien purchased recently was the A Regal Choice colt Pyrat, who quickly paid dividends by winning the $10,000 Sophomore Claiming Stakes on California Breeders Champions Night. And just like that O'Brien, who was accompanied by his girlfriend Desiree Vail, was back smiling from ear to earn in the winner's circle.

"It's nice to be back owning horses," O'Brien said. "And it's nice to be back in the winner's circle."

The owner enjoyed great success in the mid-1990s. O'Brien won a lot of races with horses like BCR My Main Man, who was fifth to Dashing Folly in the 1996 Champion of Champions, while defeating in that race the 1995 World Champion Winalota Cash, the multiple stakes winner IB Quick, and the champions Kool Kue Baby and My Debut.

Sent off at odds of 18-1, Pyrat earned $9,625 for the win. He was ridden by Ramon Sanchez and saddled by Paul Jones. Two O Nine, Kingly Secret, Rarely Dasher, Im Gellin, I See Trouble Coming, A King Cobra, This Hawks A Flyin, Repeat Champ and Tru Corona Quality completed the field.

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