LOS ALAMITOS : Season Finale Pits Top 10 Quarter Horses

The Champion Of Champions, a 440-yard sprint bringing together the 10 best quarter horses in the United States, highlights Saturday night’s closing program for the 1989 fall season at Los Alamitos Race Course.

The 18th running of the Champion Of Champions, a Grade I $200,000 race, is carded as the ninth race on Saturday’s program. First post is 7:30 p.m.

During the past year, a handful of horses were invited to compete in the Champion Of Champions after winning select races at tracks throughout the nation.

The pre-race favorite is See Me Do It, a 3-year-old filly from New Mexico who is undefeated in five appearances this year.

Under the direction of trainer Bobby Turner, See Me Do It won both the Rainbow and All American derbies at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico. In both derbies, she beat a field of colts while setting new stakes records.

The chief competition for See Me Do It is expected from Cash Legacy, to be ridden by James Lackey, last year’s leading quarter-horse jockey in the nation.

Cash Legacy won the biggest race of his career on Oct. 21 when he upset Dash For Speed in the Grade I Breeders Championship Classic at Sunland Park, N.M.

His half-length win in that race was timed in 21.28 seconds, breaking the track record that stood for 16 years. The Champion Of Champions marks Cash Legacy’s Southern California debut. He trained at Los Al this fall preparing for the Championship Classic, but never started.

Wicked Dash is the likely choice to upset the top two contenders. The sorrel mare has won only two of seven appearances this year but comes into this classic dash after winning the HQHRA Championship at Los Alamitos last month with a blistering time of 21.53 seconds for 440 yards.

Here’s the complete lineup for the 18th running of the Champion Of Champions (from the rail out with riding assignments): Wicked Dash, Luke Myles; Passem Dirty, Danny Cardoza; Griswold, Kip Didericksen; Sig Hanson, Kenneth Hart; See Me Do It, Larry Layton; Cash Legacy, James Lackey; Teller Queen, Steve Treasure; The Widgeon, Fred Watson; Streakin Cara, Eddie Garcia; Games Up Gary, Luke Proctor.