Unrelentless, under jockey Justine Klaiber, drives to the fastest qualifying time for the Grade 1 $135,750 Brand McKinzie Winter Championship at Los Alamitos on Sunday night.

© William Zuazo

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–JANUARY 26, 2025–Reliance Ranches' Unrelentless defeated multiple Grade 1 winners London Toby and Jess Good Wine on the way to posting the fastest qualifying time to the Grade 1, $135,750 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship here on Sunday night.

Now a winner of each of his last three starts at the Orange County track, Unrelentless crossed a wire a head in front of London Toby in the first of two trials to the Brad McKinzie.

Parsons Ranch's Kevins Wise Corona, a two-time graded stakes placed runner, won the other trial to post the fourth-fastest qualifying time.

The horses with the 10 fastest times will return for the Brad McKinzie final on Sunday, February 16. The winner will receive a presumptive berth to the 2025 Grade 1 Champion of Champions.

Ridden by Justine Klaiber for trainer Eddie Willis, Unrelentless covered the 400 yards in :19.691. His current winning streak also include the following wins during his sophomore campaign last year – the Town Policy Handicap on November 9 and the A Ransom Handicap on December 21. 

Kevins Wise Corona, under jockey Armando Viramontes, qualifies for the Winter Championship in the second of two trials on Sunday night. © William Zuazo

As a juvenile in 2023, Unrelentless was second to AQHA Racing champion Trane Station V in the Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity and sixth to Trane Station V in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.

Bred by Flag Ranch LLC, Unrelentless has won five of 15 career starts, finishing in the top three in 10 outings. He is by leading sire Relentless from the Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare Painted Wine Wagon.

Ed Allred's London Toby won the Brad McKinzie last year and will now look to become only the third runner to win consecutive runnings of this race. He qualified with the second fastest time. The other two are Apollitical Pence (2022 and 2023) and BH Lisas Boy (2017 and 2018). A two-time winner of the Restricted Grade 1 Spencer Childers California Breeders Championship, the son of Favorite Cartel was ridden by Gabrial Lara and trained by Scott Willoughby.

Guns Up Racing's Jess Good Wine, the runner-up in the 2024 Champion of Champions and a three-time Grade 1 winner last year, was neck behind London Toby in this event. Bryan Candanosa piloted the Good Reason SA gelding for trainer Heath Taylor.

Mauro Zaborowsky's homebred Edberd Verde, one of the best Brazilian-bred horses of all-time, finished fourth in this trial but was able advance to the Brad McKinzie final. The horse by No Secrets Here ran third in last year's Grade 1Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship and Grade 1 Go Man Go Handicap.

Ridden by Armando Viramontes for trainer Paul Jones, Kevins Wise Corona defeated Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby winner BP Cartel Policy by a half-length while covering the distance in :19.769. This was his sixth win in 18 starts. Jay Char Parsons bred the horse by KVN Corona.

All six horses in this trial advance to the Brad McKinzie final. The others are Howard Nichols' Jess Being A Friend, Vista Del Sol, Inc's Tempting Barbie, who is the only mare to advance to the final, EG High Desert Farms' Beduinos Favorite, The Quarter Company LLC's Straight And True.

CLICK HERE for the complete list of Grade 1 Brad McKenzie Winter Championship qualifiers, with their times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys.

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For more information, please get in touch with larace@losalamitos.com. You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @losalracing or visit us online at www.losalamitos.com.