Dee and Gary Hoovestal’s Bos Time Machine is one of the sharpest sophomores at Los Alamitos Race Course right now. The gelding by Bodacious Dash has won his last three outings – two of them in stakes races – including Saturday’s $25,000 Sgt Pepper Feature Handicap at 350 yards.
Ridden by Carlos Huerta for trainer Paul Jones, Bos Time Machine won the Sgt Pepper Feature by pulling away in the final 50 yards of the race on the way to a fast time of :17.423. The sorrel gelding was leading by a head in the later stages of the race before switching gears late on the way to crossing the finish a half-length ahead of K and R Allred Ranch LLC’s Arizona Favorite. Bos Time Machine had previously won the Catchmeinyourdreams Handicap when coming back from third place to win by a head. Prior to his stakes wins, Bos Time Machine cruised to a 1 ¼ length win when defeating $25,000 claimers on June 30. Like Jones said following the Idaho bred’s win in the Catchmeinyourdreams “He’s just getting better with each start.”
Bred by Mark and Peggy Brown, Bos Time Machine improved his career record to six wins in 12 starts. He earned $13,750 for the win to take his lifetime bankroll to $49,247. Huerta has been handling the reins in each of the horse’s last three winning starts.
“He was strong tonight,” Huerta said. “Definitely one of his best races. The last time (in the Catchmeinyourdreams) he did not break that great, but tonight he broke well enough to be one of the leaders and at the end he is a very strong finisher. From the first time I rode him until now, he’s felt better and better each time. The way he finishes has felt better. This race was a difficult one because we had some quick horses to the inside. We broke with the field and Bos Time Machine dominated at the end.”
Huerta has won 573 Quarter Horses races in his career with over $10.6 million in earnings. He won the 2014 Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity with He Looks Hot and the 2017 Grade 1 Champion of Champions with Mr PYC To You. He’s won 55 stakes races during the course of his career – 19 of them in graded stakes.
“I’m very grateful and fortunate to be able to ride for Paul Jones and his team,” Huerta said. “They’ve had faith in me and I just want to keep working hard and giving it my all. That’s the best thing to do.”
Ridden by Erasmo Gasca for trainer Hector Magallanes, Arizona Favorite earned $5,625 for running second in the Sgt Pepper Feature. The Favorite Cartel gelding finished third in his previous race - the $15,000 Big Lew Handicap won by Tequila Sangria. Arizona Favorite has hit the board in nine of 12 career starts.
Jesus Daniel Padilla’s Baby Special Corona, winner of the California Breeders Debutante Stakes in her last start, finished third. Multiple stakes winner KR Hi Five ran fourth with Topock Gorge, Fast Amanda Rose and Mayas Signature completing the field.
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