FOUR LOS ALAMITOS GRADED STAKES WINNERS ARE 2024 AQHA CHAMPIONS

    Eleven horses have been named as 2024 divisional champions, with the announcement of the 2024 World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse to be revealed on August 29.                          

   Champion 2-year-old Lethal Cowboy 123 was also named champion 2-year-old gelding after winning six of eight starts in his freshman season and earning $1,238,267. The sorrel son of Flying Cowboy 123 is out of the First Down Dash mare Pretty Lethal. Bred by Veronica Gail Kawananakoa, Lethal Cowboy 123 is owned by Caliche Walls Venture LLC/A Isbell/LBland/J Barton and in his champion year won both the Golden State Million Futurity (G1) and Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1). He was ridden during the year by Edwin Escobedo, Christian Ramos and James Flores, and trained by Marc Jungers.                                                                              

      Champion 3-year-old Asscher (left) continues her family’s proud history of champion titles and also secures the champion 3-year-old filly title. Bred by MJ Farms, she is by FDD Dynasty and out of the Jesse James Jr mare Astica. Asscher, who is raced by Lance Bland and Jimmy Barton, won six of 10 starts and earned $440,224. Her achievements are headed by wins in the Los Alamitos Oaks (G1), Dash For Cash Derby (G2) and Purina Feeds Texas Classic Oaks, as well as a second in the Rainbow Oaks (G1). She was ridden by Christian Ramos and Noe Garcia Jr., and trained by Marc Jungers.                       

      Gary Laramie’s Jessica Cruz collects champion aged mare honors after a year in which she won two of eight starts and earned $111,463. Bred by Double Bar S Ranch, she is by FDD Dynasty and out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Jess Cuz. The consistent mare won the Las Damas Handicap (G2) and Azure Three Handicap, was second in the Abigail Kawananakoa Stakes and third in the Mildred N. Vessels Memorial Handicap (G1). Trained by Elena Andrade, Jessica Cruz was ridden during the year by Oscar Andrade Jr., Diego Herrera, Rodrigo Aceves and Cesar Franco.                                                                                  

     Empressum was named champion aged gelding. Bred and raced by Jeff Jones and Steve Holt, the gelding by Apollitical Jess and out of the First Down Dash mare Crazy Down Corona won three of five starts and earned $504,750. The horse’s wins include the Champion of Champions (G1), Vessels Maturity (G1) and Go Man Go Handicap (G1). He was ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo.                                     

     Kempton was named champion 2-year-old colt. The bay colt by Kiss My Hocks is out of the Corona Cartel mare Charming Cartel, and was bred by Tyler Graham and Namgis Quarter Horses LLC. The colt won six of seven starts during the year, led by the Heritage Place Futurity (G1) and Evangeline Downs Futurity (G2), and earned $639,903. He was ridden by James Flores and trained by James Gonzalez III.  The selection committee had the discretion to not award a given category, and could not come to a majority consensus to determine a champion in the 2-year-old filly division.                                              

      William Harned’s Mystic Paint is the champion 3-year-old colt after a season where he won three of eight starts and earned $223,227, with a win in the Adequan Will Rogers Derby Challenge and second-place finishes in the Ruidoso Derby (G1) and Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G3).                                                               

       Relentless Eagle is the champion 3-year-old gelding after a perfect 4-for-4 year in which he earned $208,851. Racing for Lance Bland, Relentless Eagle won the Texas Classic Derby (G1) and Dash For Cash Derby (G2). Trained by Marc Jungers, the horse was ridden by Christian Ramos.                                                                                 

        Champion aged horse Out Of The Way is also the champion aged stallion. The sorrel stallion was bred by Silver Racing Farm LLC and is by First Moonflash and out of the Corona Cartel mare Coronas Fast Honey. He won two of five starts and earned $269,632. His record was led by a victory in The Downs at Albuquerque Fall Championship (G1) and John Andreini Memorial Stakes, a second in the Mr Jet Moore Stakes (G2) and a third in the All American Gold Cup (G1). Christian Ramos was among the riders on Out Of The Way.                                                      

        Had To Be Fabulous is the Canadian champion for breeders and owners Carol and Jaime Robertson. BR Chivali Nazareno is the Mexican champion. In 2024, the stallion won 11 of 12 starts, winning $129,413 for the year. Volcoms Favorite is the distance champion after winning three of seven starts and earning $117,440, with his wins highlighted by the Distance Challenge Championship (G1) and Albuquerque Distance Challenge (G2).                                                  

      MJ Farms is the champion breeder, with their horses led by homebred Asscher. Proving that life is better in partnership, the group Caliche Walls Venture LLC/Aisbell/LBland/J Barton is the champion owner, as they saw their Lethal Cowboy 123 lead their stable to $1,234,967 in earnings. Champion Trainer Marc Jungers had a breakout year in 2024, with his horses earning $3,040,057 on the racetrack, including Lethal Cowboy 123, Asscher and Relentless Eagle. Christian Ramos is the champion jockey for a year in which his mounts earned $4,486,462, including champions Lethal Cowboy 123, Asscher, Relentless Eagle and Out Of The Way.                          

       The contenders were those that have been deemed eligible by having met the criteria outlined in the AQHA Awards and Media Policy of 2024.