Shott Gun, under Jose Nicasio, winning the $40,000 Moonist Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course on Sunday night.

© Amber Mendez

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—MARCH 19, 2023—The Bobby Cox owned and bred Shott Gunn made his California debut a winning one with a gate-to-wire decision in Sunday evening’s featured $40,000 Moonist Stakes at Los Alamitos.

Trained by Heath Taylor and ridden by Jose Nicasio, Shott Gun broke right on top in the 400-yard contest and continued strongly to the line to prevail by a half-length over Cattail Cove with All Ways finishing third and favored London Toby checking in fourth.

He completed the 400 yards in :19.608 seconds, equaling a 94 speed index into.4 mph headwind.

This was the first start of the year for the 5-year-old son of Valiant Hero and the Eye Opener mare Eye Popping.

The homebred son of champion sire Valiant Hero, from the Mr Eye Opening mare Eye Popper, has won nine of his 19 starts and has now gone over the $602,000 earnings plateau, including a victory in the 2020 Grade 1 Heritage Park Futurity at Remington Park.

Graded stakes winner Cattail Cove races for owner Link Newcomb and is conditioned by trainer Juan Aleman. Armando Cervantes rode the California-bred son of Favorite Cartel. Steve Burns, DVM bred the $622,432 winner from the Separatist mare Katie Katella. He earned $9,000 for tonight's effort.

Also a stakes winner, All Ways earned $5,000 for third. Also from the Aleman barn the son of multiple stakes sire Fly Thru The Fire was bred by Edward C. Allred from the Raise A Secret mare Million Ways. Ridden by Adrian Loza, the 4-year-old gelding had banked $50,325.

London Toby, Dasha Good Reason, Stuck In Pobate, Famous Cartel Jess, Up and Atem and Dasha Dynasty completed the field.

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