LOS ALAMITOS : Open-and-Shut Case in the Classic

Heavily favored Refrigerator, the defending world champion quarter horse, moved one step closer to retaining his title by winning the $105,500 Breeders Championship Classic, one of nine stakes races at Los Alamitos on Saturday night.

Refrigerator, a 5-year-old gelding, broke sharpest in the seven-horse field and won the 440-yard race by three-quarters of a length over Rare Form. Refrigerator was timed in 21.45 seconds.

It was Refrigerator’s fourth victory in as many starts this year. He has won 19 of 26 starts and has earned $1.83 million. He is owned by Jim Helzer and trained by Blane Schvaneveldt.

Schvaneveldt and Refrigerator’s jockey, Bruce Pilkenton, each won three stakes on Saturday night.

Refrigerator’s next start will come in the Champion of Champions on Dec. 11, a race he won last year.

Totally Illegal won the $82,150 Juvenile Classic earlier in the evening, stamping herself as the nation’s leading 2-year-old filly.

Totally Illegal, also trained by Schvaneveldt, won the 400-yard race by 1 1/4 lengths. Earlier this year, she won the Governor’s Cup Futurity at Los Alamitos.

In a season of parity among 2-year-old fillies, Totally Illegal might have accomplished enough to win the title. The field she beat in the Juvenile Classic included five other stakes winners and four horses who have placed in stakes. Jumping Tac Flash, her toughest competition for the 2-year-old filly title, ran ninth in the Juvenile Classic.

Totally Illegal was ridden by Henry Garcia for owners David Payne of Salt Lake City and John Radin of Idaho Falls, Ida. Develop A Plan, the 3-2 favorite, broke slowly and finished second.

In other stakes, Sheza First Down and Rainbow Sun won divisions of the Freshman, Chicks Got Pazazz won the Distaff, Griswold won the Marathon, Schvaneveldt’s High Easy Dash won the Sophomore and Reign Of Terror won the Sprint.