Apollitical Pence will headline the first of two trials while beginning his quest to winning this race for the second straight year.

© William Zuazo

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–JANUARY 26, 2024–Grade 1 winners Apollitical Pence, Jeriko, Scoops Dynasty, Take A Swig Of This and London Toby are among the 12 top older runners that will be in action in the trials to the Grade 1, $135,400 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship to be held on Sunday night.

Apollitical Pence will headline the first of two trials while beginning his quest to winning this race for the second straight year. Bill Hoburg’s BH Lisas Boy is the only horse to win consecutive runnings of this race when taking home crowns in 2017 and 2018.

Apollitical Pence was just a 2-year-old in 2018 but six years later the now 8-year-old star is  a highly decorated runner looking to match the exploits of the great BH Lisas Boy.

In his 40-race career, Apollitical Pence has won two runnings of the Champion of Champions and the 2022 Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship. He outdueled Empressum in winning the Brad McKinzie by a nose last year and will now look for his 21st career victory when he starts from post number two in the first of two trials to this year’s Winter Championship.

Owned by Dunn Ranch and trained by Monty Arrossa, Apollitical Pence will be ridden by Armando Cervantes.

Jeryl Hartley’s Hes Chickless is a multiple stakes winner and has youth on his side as he’s half the age of Apollitical Pence. The 4-year-old gelding by Hes Relentless is also very fast out of the gate, as he led the El Primero Del Ano Derby and the A Ransom Handicap from start to finish while posting those stakes victories.

Juan Pablo Leon will ride Hes Chickless in this the opening trial from post four.

Rojas Racing LLC and Juan Moya’s Future Version won the Governor’s Cup Derby last year and will look for a return to this top form in this trial race. The Jose Flores-trainee is nicely drawn and at his best, he can be fighting for the early lead. Nevada Charles, Don Lazaro and new arrivals Mr Racy Perry will complete this field.

The second trial will feature the tremendous quartet of Grade 1 winners in Jeriko, Scoops Dynasty, Take A Swig Of This, and London Toby.

Owned by Bobby Cox, Jeriko won the the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby last year and finished powerfully when running fourth in the Champion of Champions. Dunn Ranch’s Take A Swig Of This finished fifth in the Champion of Champions and won the Los Alamitos Winter Derby last year.

Ed and Von Zae McNelis’ Scoops Dynasty is another Winter Derby, his victory coming in 2022. Take A Swig Of This and Scoops Dynasty will both look to join Powerful Favorite, A Stoli Mate and Whosleavingwho as winners of both the Winter Derby and Winter Championship during their careers.

Ed Allred’s London Toby, winner of the Restricted Grade 1 Spencer Childers Championship Handicap, will start from post number one after delivering a good-looking gate workout at 350 yards.

The son of Favorite Cartel was third to Scoops Dynasty when they met in the Grade 1 Go Man Go Handicap in late August. Marcelo and Mahomes Magic will complete the field for trial number two.

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