Terrific Phoenix (#1) gets up over Chivalary (#4) and Mahomes Magic (#6) in the $40,000 Moonist Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course Sunday night.

© Amber Mendez

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–MARCH 17, 2024–Trainer Paul Jones has won over 300 Quarter Horse stakes races at Los Alamitos during his illustrious career, but his victory with Terrific Phoenix in the $40,000 Moonist Stakes was his first as an AQHA Hall of Fame member on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

Jones, this track's second all-time leading Quarter Horse trainer in wins and stakes wins, was one of six honorees announced as part of the Hall of Fame Class of 2024 during the AQHA Annual Convention on Saturday evening at the Grand Ballroom at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

In addition to Paul Jones, the AQHA will also induct three horses and two other men:  Frenchmans Guy, Blue Valentine, Shining Spark, 2018 AQHA President Dr. Jim Heird and National Finals Rodeo star J.D. Yates.

After being present for the AQHA Hall of Fame announcement in Las Vegas, Jones returns to his home base of Los Alamitos to watch Terrific Phoenix outduel Ed Allred's Chivalry by a head to win the Moonist at 400 yards.

Roque Gonzalez, Victor Salazar, Paul Jones and Romero Rutilo Terrific accept the Moonist Handicap stakes trophy at Los Alamitos. © Orlando Gutierrez

Ridden by Victor Salazar for owner Parsons Family Limited Partnership, Terrific Phoenix was not the quickest out of the gate but gained ground on early leader Hes Chickless with each stride on the way to his fifth win from 16 career starts. For Jones, the Moonist was his 349th career stakes win at the Orange County oval. The legendary Blane Schvaneveldt holds the track record with 387 career stakes wins.

 "It's a great honor to be inducted in the AQHA Hall of Fame this year and the announcement was yesterday, and this is my first stakes win since then," Jones said. "It's a great honor and I'm really happy to win this race. I've always loved this horse. He's always had a great kick at the end of the race. He has usually been tough getting out of the gate but he handles the one hole really well. Victor did a great job riding him tonight and I'm really pleased for the Parsons Family. They have some great horses and they've given me the opportunity to train for them for the last three years. I'm really enjoying that.

Sired by Fly Thru The Fire and out of the Grade 1 stakes winning mare Terrific Energy, Terrific Phoenix earned $22,000 for this win to take his career earnings to $75,514. The Parsons Family Limited Partnership-bred runner had previously run fourth in the Grade 2 Southern California Derby and participated in the Governor's Cup Derby and Town Policy Handicap. Sent off at 5-1 odds, Terrific Phoenix covered the distance in :19.861.

With Gabriel Lara up, Chivalry ran another terrific race and just missed catching Terrific Phoenix while earning $9,000 for running second. The Allred-bred is a gelding by Favorite Cartel out of the stakes winner Sweet TR.

Eleazar Gonzalez's multiple Grade 1 qualifier Mahomes Magic ran third for trainer Clemente Hurtado. El Aventurero, Hes Chickless, VF Bonafide and Up For Everything completed the field.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

For more info' please contact larace@losalamitos.com. Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @losalracing or visit us online at www.losalamitos.com.