LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, CYPRESS, CA… The 10th running of California Champions Night - a showcase event for the finest California-bred runners in training - is set for Saturday, July 25 at Los Alamitos Race Course. Featuring combined purses of $1 million, the event is the product of joint cooperation between the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association and track management at Los Alamitos Race Course.

This year's California Champions Night will feature 13 stakes races all written for Cal-bred Quarter Horses. The main event of the night will be the $431,000 estimated Governor's Cup Futurity, the richest race of any breed for California-bred runners. The $213,000 estimated Governor's Cup Derby and the $100,000 estimated Spencer L. Childers California Breeders Championship Handicap are among the other top races to be contested.

The Spencer Childers is named in honor of the Hall of Fame breeder and owner, who passed away on July 9. The list of nominations for the Spencer Childers is outstanding with Vessels Maturity winner Freaky and Remington Park Championship winner Separate Bet headlining the field. The two Grade 1 winners have already earned berths to this year’s Champion of Champions and the Spencer Childers could serve as a great preview of what’s to come in the Champion of Champions. Freaky appears to be the horse of the moments after setting track records this season at both 350 and 400 yards. Separate Bet dominated the racing action in Oklahoma earlier this year, and a win in a major California stakes race like the Spencer Childers would truly cement his spot as the top ranked horse in the AQHA/HorsePlayerPro.com Top 10 rankings.

In addition to Freaky and Separate Bet, the list features the talented 2008 PCQHRA Breeders Derby winner Checker and 2007 Southern California Derby winner Trisk plus top sprinters My Buddie and Fighter On Fire plus 12 other nominees. The California Breeders Sprint Stakes has lured a lot of names as well, like Checker, Fighter On Fire and First To Reach but also 220-yard track record holder Travel Plan, who is looking to step up to stakes competition after racing in the claiming ranks this year.

Superstar runner Foose, the winner of last year’s Ed Burke Million Futurity, and Kindergarten Futurity Revv It Up are two of the 18 horses nominated to the Jens L. List Jr. Memorial California Breeders Stakes at 400 yards. The Jens L. List honors the memory of one of the sport's great breeders and owners, Jen L. List Jr., who founded the Double Bar S Ranch in 1989.

Strength In Numbers, winner of 2007 Los Alamitos Invitational Championship, and 2008 Southern California Derby winner Short Czech are two of the top names in the $50,000 California Breeders Matron Stakes. Look Her Over, who won the 550-Yard Sophomore Stakes, has also been nominated to the Matron Stakes, as has last year’s La Primera Del Ano Derby winner Forgive Him and multiple Grade 1 qualifier My Lady First and La Pacifica Handicap winner Shescheckinumout.

Twenty runners have been named to the $25,000 Freshman Stakes for 2-year-olds with Kindergarten Futurity finalists Tylerite and Buttlerfly Kisses. Dan Lucas’ Surf Dog, Balgo Racing Team’s Colombian Babe and Stern Ranches’ Chilvalry Sr are three other solid names in the list of nominees. Revv It Up and this year’s La Primera Del Ano Derby winner Alice K White have been nominated to the $25,000 California Breeders Debutante Stakes for sophomore fillies. Horses were also nominated to the 550-Yard Sophomore Stakes and to four different claiming stakes event for different divisions.