LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JULY 4, 2019—Racing for the partnership of Hubbard, Southway, Cope, and Willis, 2018 AQHA Racing Champion 3-Year-Old Hotstepper will make his season debut when he takes on strong cast of older horses in the Grade 3 Independence Day Handicap at 300 yards on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

Eight races are on tap with first post set for 6:55 p.m.

Hotstepper, a $63,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale purchase, enjoyed a solid 2-year-old campaign in 2017, as he finished second in the Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity, third in the Grade 1 All American Futurity and qualified to the Grade 1 Rainbow Futurity. He was superb during his sophomore campaign, winning the Grade 1 All American Derby and then scoring in the Grade 1 Texas Classic Derby.

The son of One Famous Eagle would be named the champion 3-year-old and champion 3-year-old gelding after a year in which he earned $769,313 of his lifetime $1,254,409 in earnings. Now trained by Paul Jones after being conditioned by Sleepy Gilbreath last year, Hotstepper has had a solid work tab that included two bullet drills. This included a nice 350-yard gate work in :18.0. He'll make his 2019 debut from the outside post number seven with jockey Cody Jensen in the irons.

"This is a nice race to give him his first out of the year," Jones said. "We're looking to run him in the Go Man Go Handicap (on September 1) and then the Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship (on October 13). Our goal with him is the Champion of Champions. The 300-yards is probably not his best distance, but this is a good spot to give him an out. The horse is doing well. Cody Jensen knows the horse well from having ridden him last year and he gave some great info on the horse and we're using pretty much the same equipment he used last year. It's great to have a horse for R.D. Hubbard and this great group of owners."

"It's nice to train a horse again for him, especially one of this great caliber," Jones added.

Abigail Kawananakoa's Chance To Fire, an allowance winner in his last start and a horse with a lot of graded stakes appearances in his resume, will also compete in the Independence Day. Recent allowance winner Elicity, a top Utah-bred mare, is another solid runner to watch in this event. Eagles Policy,

My Favorite Cartel, Jess Bet Me and Ray Donovan will complete the field.

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Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.