Up And Atem (#8) edges Monopolist (#7) and Cattail Cove (#5) to win the Spencer L. Childers California Breeders Championship (RG1) at Los Alamitos Race Course Sunday.

© Amber Mendez

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JULY 31, 2022— Horses owned by Ed Allred finished 1-2 in the Restricted Grade 1, $100,000 Spencer Childers California Breeders Championship Handicap after Up And Atem enjoyed his first victory since October of 2019, while upsetting even money favorite Monopolist by a head in the 400-yard race on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by Armando Cervantes and trained by Scott Willoughby, Up And Atem was second at the start and third with about 100 yards to go before launching a huge finish to win the Spencer Childers at 8-1 odds.

The Favorite Cartel gelding out of the talented mare Up For It had not visited the winner’s circle since his trial to the Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity on October 20, 2019. Up And Atem finished fourth in the Golden State Million final and would then qualify to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity, where he finished 10th.

"He was one of our best 2-year-olds in 2019 and then got sick last year and we didn’t run him at all," Willoughby said. "It’s been a long road coming back and he’s been fantastic."

Up And Atem raced just once in 2020 before missing the entire 2021 racing season. Prior to this win, the Allred-bred dead-heated for third in the Grade 1 Vessels Maturity and had finished third in a couple of stakes trials. The $47,000 he earned for winning took his career earnings to $193,151. He covered the 400 yards in :19.655.

Monopolist, ridden by Oscar Peinado and trained by James Glenn, Jr., has finished second in all three of his starts this season. Previously, he ran second to AQHA champion Empressum in the Vessels Maturity. His earnings of $20,000 here took his career bankroll to $434,075.

Link Newcomb’s Cattail Cove finished a game third after the leading for the first 150 yards. The Juan Aleman trainee earned $10,000 for his top three finish. Both Monopolist and Cattail Cove were sired by Favorite Cartel, meaning that the great stallion sired the top three finishers in this Restricted Grade 1 race.

You Can Run, Bail Czech, Circle City, Other World, BF Outfoosed, and Mister Tornado completed the field. Circle City won this race last year and was looking to become only the third horse to win back-to-back runnings of this race.

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