LOS ALAMITOS, CA—MARCH 22, 2018—Bill Hoburg’s homebred BH Lisas Boy became the first back-to-back winner of the Grade 1, $157,250 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship, formerly named just the Los Alamitos Winter Championship, when he outdueled 2016 Champion of Champions winner Zoomin For Spuds for the win on February 11.

The two Quarter Horse stars will meet again on Sunday night, this time in the $27,500 Moonist Handicap at 400 yards.

To be ridden by Cesar De Alba, BH Lisas Boy is the top older horse on the grounds right now at Los Alamitos. The 6-year-old Idaho-bred Mighty Invictus gelding has won seven of his last nine outings and 17 of 29 career starts. He’s also been hard to stop at 400 yards.

He’s won six races at that distance since February of 2017. He’s also become one of Quarter Horse racing’s most popular horses. On Super Bowl weekend, while the racing surface at Los Alamitos was being renovated, BH Lisas Boy was shipped to Santa Anita for a 220 yard workout to prepare for the Brad McKinzie Winter Championship.

In doing so, BH Lisas Boy became the first Quarter Horse to work at Santa Anita since former 870-yard world record holder Griswold did so in preparation for his famous 1991 match race versus the Thoroughbred Valiant Pete. The photo of BH Lisas Boy working at Santa Anita received tremendous attention on social media by racing fans.

Hoburg, who bred and also trains the career winner of $519,243, said that, "(BH Lisas Boy) is the boss. I’m just his equine concierge. Whatever he wants to do I’ll do." BH Lisas Boy from post number one.

The Moonist Handicap has drawn a tremendous group of major stakes winners.

Jim Walker’s Zoomin For Spuds was sharp at the start of the Brad McKinzie and just missed winning the 400-yard race.

The son of Zoomin For Bux is looking more and more like the win machine that he was in 2016 when he won six stakes races headed by the Champion of Champions. Jesus Rios Ayala will ride the Monty Arrossa-charge from post three.

The field will also include: Racy High Roller, winner of the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity in in 2016 and the Barbra B Handicap at 550 yards earlier this year; One Proud Eagle, winner of the Grade 2 John Deere Juvenile Challenge and Grade 3 Kindergarten Futurity in 2016 and the Cypress Handicap earlier this year; Mr Apollitical Dash, winner of the Grade 2 Southern California Derby on December 15; and LD Is Back, winner of the Jens List Memorial Stakes last summer and a multiple Grade 1 finalist.

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.