Shott Gun will make West Coast debut in the Moonist Stakes at 400 yards on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

© Dustin Orona Photography

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—MARCH 17, 2023—An excellent cast of nine older male horses led by new arrival Shott Gun and top local stakes winners Cattail Cove, Dasha Dynasty, Up And Atem and London Toby will headline the running of the $40,000 Moonist Stakes at 400 yards on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

Owned by Bobby Cox and trained by Heath Taylor, Shott Gun arrives to Southern California with a stellar record that includes a victory in the Grade 1 Heritage Place Futurity in 2020, a fourth-place finish to Instygator in the All American Derby in 2021, and three stakes victories in 2022.

The Valiant Hero gelding has won eight of 18 starts in his career while earning $580,619. He’ll enter his Los Alamitos debut after posting a solid 220-yard turn and work in :12.40 on February 22. Jose Nicasio is slated to ride Shott Gun.

The Moonist field will feature four runners that competed in the Grade 1 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship.

The list includes Vic3tory LLC’s Stuck In Probate, who had the highest finish of the four when running fourth in the Brad McKinzie, and Ed Allred’s London Toby, the winner of the First Down Dash Handicap last year and the owner of several eye-popping victories throughout his career.

Trainer Scott Willoughby will saddle the Favorite Cartel geldings London Toby and Up And Atem, the latter a winner in the Restricted Grade 1 Spencer Childers California Breeders Championship Handicap last July.

This will be the first start of the year for Up And Atem, who will look to improve on his fifth place finish in the Azure Three Stakes on October 22.

Stablemates Dasha Dynasty and Dash Good Reason will represent the barn of 2022 leading Quarter Horse trainer Jose Flores with Dasha Dynasty hoping to add the Moonist to his victory in last year’s Town Policy Handicap.

Meanwhile, Link Newcomb’s Cattail Cove, who was honored with the Moonist Award by the PCQHRA last year based on his many outstanding performances racing at the highest level, will enter this race from the barn of trainer Juan Aleman. A two-time stakes winner, Cattail Cove won the previously mentioned Azure Three Stakes and the Independence Day Handicap last year.

The field will also feature Boardshorts Stables’ All Ways, winner of the Flight 109, and Famous Cartel Jess, who was third in the First Down Dash Handicap last year.

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