Career Comes to End for A Ransom

A Ransom, the world champion quarter horse of 2000, has been retired.

The decision was made by owners John and Kathie Bobenrieth and trainer Connie Hall after the 6-year-old First Down Dash gelding finished last a week ago in the $500,000 Champion of Champions.

“We’ve always said that when it was time to call it a career for A Ransom, he would tell us,” Hall said.

The winner of the Champion of Champions two years ago and the only three-time winner of the Vessels Maturity, A Ransom finished with 21 victories in 33 starts and earnings of $1,079,556.

Tonight, Royalclassic Express, who has had consecutive wins at 300 and 350 yards, will try to stretch her speed to 440 yards in the first division of the $25,000 Quarter Horse Breeders Classics Futurity.

The picks: 1. Zelmas Treasure. 2. TT Tiger. 3. Blushing Blake. 4. Solongretsina. 5. Willie Wanta Pie. 6. Sulton’s Glass. 7. Pritzi Too. 8. Royalclassic Express. 9. Ja Runaway Dash. 10. Crashin Bac. 11. Sum Special Strawfly.

Four! Use Special Sunday Morn and Zelmas Treasure in the first, Fire Mt Malabar, Move It and TT Tiger in the second, Blushing Blake and Red Sparks A Flying in the third and Spring Bold and Solongretsina in the fourth.

Shots in the dark: First Rate Choice switches to Joe Badilla Jr. in the eighth. Almost Flyin makes his first local start in the ninth.

Post time: 6:30 p.m.

On the Net: For entries and results from Los Alamitos, visit: www.latimes.com/horseracing.