LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JULY 25, 2015—The Parsons Ranch’s homebred gelding Phoebes Dynasty remained undefeated in four career starts after winning the $395,500 Governor’s Cup Futurity, the richest of 12 stakes races held during the 16th annual California Breeders Champions Night on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

The showcase event for California-bred Quarter Horses also featured Dutch Masters III and Jaime Gomez’s Forget It winning his second derby of the year in the $195,000 Governor’s Cup Derby and Ron Hartley’s champion Moonist returning to the winner’s circle with a spectacular win in the $100,000 Spencer Childers California Breeders Championship Handicap .

Other highlights included AQHA Hall of Fame member Ed Allred winning four stakes races as an owner and six as breeder; jockey Carlos Huerta piloting four winners; and Jay and Char Parsons being the breeders of Phoebes Dynasty in addition to also being one of the breeders of Freshman Stakes daylight winner Dynasty Energy (see related stories).

Governor's Cup Futurity(RG2)

Ridden by Eduardo Nicasio for trainer Chris O’Dell, Phoebes Dynasty had a coming out party on Champions Night, as the gelding by FDD Dynasty took the lead shortly after the start and raced confidently from there to edge McColee Land and Livestock’s Ed Burke Million Futurity finalist Budder Think Twice by a neck.

Phoebes Dynasty earned $163,590 for winning his fourth race in as many starts. Phoebes Dynasty’s sire, FDD Dynasty, won the Governor’s Cup Derby in 2007, while his dam, PJ Flying Phoebe, has a been a solid producer for the Parsons. Her sons have included stakes winner Azshecanfly and stakes finalist Sizzling PJ. Phoebes Dynasty’s second dam is the great Dashing Phoebe, who has produced All American Futurity winner and champion Heartswideopen, and the Chris O’Dell-trained Special Phoebe.

“This family has been great to me,” O’Dell said. “Phoebes Dynasty was the last colt out of this mare because she’s since passed away. It’s hard to find daughter of Dashing Phoebe, but I’ll be at the sales looking for second generation mares from this great family. If it’s named ‘Phoebe’ I want it,” O’Dell said with a smile. “I even have a dog named Phoebe. This bloodline has been so special to me and they are all class.”

O’Dell knew early on in the training process that he had something special with Phoebes Dynasty.

“I’m behind the gate whenever we work our 2-year-olds to get them ready and the first time this horse worked I could hear this horse making this (roaring) noise as he raced. I’ve never heard that before, but that’s how much power he had. I’m very lucky this year in that I feel like I’m loaded with good 2-year-olds. That’s all about the great breeding program of the Parsons and the Rosenthals, who also had a horse in the Governor’s Cup. Their horse, Fire At Will, had trouble at the start and I just went ‘Oh no!’ but then I saw that Phoebes Dynasty was battling for the lead so my focus went to hear. I would have loved to have run 1-2 with their horses because they’re both great horses, but Rosenthals have trusted me with some great babies and their time will come.”

O’Dell also credited the hard work that jockeys Eduardo Nicasio and Tony Guymon have done with his young runners.

“That’s been huge and a big reason that these horses are doing so well,” he added. “Eduardo and Tony have been helping the whole year and that makes a difference. It’s one thing to gallop these horses, but these guys are working with them in the gate and teaching them a lot of important things. Having those skilled hands with these babies, that’s huge. It’s been a big edge for our barn.”

Nicasio, a three-time winning rider of the Champion of Champions, was confident about his chances of maintaining Phoebes Dynasty’s perfect record, but he admitted to being a bit nervous just moments before the two of them entered the starting gate.

“I was the nervous one,” Nicasio said. “He is usually very energetic and bouncing around, but tonight he was really and calm. He was either very ready to run or had no interest in running. I didn’t know what was going to happen, but once the gates opened he was ready. This is nice because I’ve worked with this horse the entire year. It feels good when you’ve been a part of the process from the start.”

Phoebe Dynasty has earned $171,620 in his career.

Trainer Cody Joiner, who was very involved in the training of FDD Dynasty during his time at Los Alamitos, saddled the runner-up Budder Think Twice in the Governor’s Cup. Fifth when getting bumped in the Ed Burke, Budder Think Twice ran a solid race from the outside post on the way to earning $66,215. The First Down Dash filly bred by Double Bar S Ranch has now earned $134,245 in her five race career.

Jose Antonio Flores and Bradley Hart’s Shut Out, from the family of Grade 1 stakes winner Snitcher, earned $46,740 for running third. Edward C. Allred bred the filly by Walk Thru Fire is out of the Raise A Secret mare Departing.

Little Talks, Miss Sadie Thompson, One Sweet Runaway, Fire At Will, Sale Topper, Romantic Fire, and Unclaimed Dividend completed the field. Sale Topper, which entered the race with the fastest qualifying time, was in contention early on, ducked in at the gap forcing Carlos Huerta to correct him forcefully, stopping the gelding’s momentum and ending his chances to challenge.

Governor's Cup Derby

Jaime Gomez knew that Forget It had his work caught out in the trials to the Governor’s Cup Derby back on July 12.

“I knew that he would be a little short in the trials,” Gomez said. “I didn’t think it, I knew it. He still won the trial and when he did that I knew that he was going to run big in the final. We had a lot of horse left after the trials. He was coming into this race in great form.”

Forget It did not disappoint owners Dutch Masters III and Gomez, as the Foose gelding posted his fourth win in a row with a sparkling half-length victory in the $195,000 race. Forget It is a double derby winner in 2015 having previously won the Grade 3 $175,000 El Primero Del Ano Derby in April. The combination of a razor sharp Forget It and the outside post number 10 in the Governor’s Cup Derby provided his camp confidence heading into the derby against the likes of La Primera Del Ano Derby winner Bac In Front and stakes winner and fastest qualifier Take A Look.

“I thought being on the outside would be perfect for this horse,” Gomez added. “He doesn’t like traffic , he likes running by himself. I got a little confident for the derby trials and just ran him off of a workout. But I didn’t want to give him a start before the trials, run him in the trials, and then run him two weeks later in the final. We just paid the late fee ($30,000) to make him eligible to run in the Los Alamitos Super Derby so we have to plan for that race now. I think we made a good decision getting in the Super Derby, but now we’ll give him time off. It’s two weeks before the Golden State Derby trials and that’s too close. We’ll skip that one and just wait.”

Dr. James Streelman of Dutch Masters III was not at the track to receive the derby trophy, but the longtime owner and breeder was glued to his TV in New Mexico watching his gelding run.

“R.D. Hubbard has an annual golf event and even though I wanted to be at both places I just couldn’t do it,” said Streelman over the phone. “I’ve been watching whole night and it’s been a nice show. It looks like we have a pretty nice (gelding).”

“He’s sound and he’s healthy,” Gomez added. “That’s the key.”

Gomez also saddled second place finisher Bac In Front for owner Francisco Vega. A winner of five in a row to start the year, Bac In Front was second by a neck in the Governor’s Cup Derby trials and gutsy in the final as she led during the early part of the race.

“She’s always dangerous,” said Gomez. “She’s in a couple of other derbies this year.”

Bac In Front, a daughter of Foose, earned $32,300 for her runner-up effort. Steve D. Burns, DVM bred the graded stakes winner from the Splash Bac mare Running Bac. She has earned $156,073 with six wins in 12 career starts.

Cesar DeAlba rode Kickin Your Can for owner Robert Parra and trainer Valentin Zamudio. Edward C. Allred bred the Walk Thru Fire gelding in California from the Separatist mare Katie Katella. The $22,800 third place Governor's Cup money brings the geldings earnings total to $74,685.

Take A Look, Off Beat, Fiery Kimbo, Old Six Six, Daze Go By, Old Girl and Chicanery completed the derby field.