London Toby, under jockey Gabriel Lara, won Division 1 of the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials on Sunday night at Los Alamitos.

© Amber Mendez

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–NOVEMBER 17, 2024–Ed Allred's London Toby had a perfect prep for the Grade 1, $600,000 Champion of Champions while the Eddie Willis-trained duo of Regina Laymon's Hooked N Gone and Francisco Lopez's One Stolin Eagle both claimed presumptive berths to the prestigious Champion of Champions during the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials on Sunday night at Los Alamitos.

London Toby was excellent in winning the first of two trials, as Allred-bred runner took the lead shortly after the start of the 400-yard race and made no mistakes from there in route to a neck victory over One Stolin Eagle in a time of :19.882.

His time was the fastest time in the two trials, but he already had a berth to the Champion of Champions after winning the Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship in February.

Hooked N Gone, under jockey Justine Klaiber, winning the Z Wayne Griffin Director's trial-Div. 2. © Amber Mendez

His connections were looking for a good tightener before the Champion of Champions on December and it was mission accomplished based on this impressive effort with Gabriel Lara aboard.

"It should set him up perfectly," trainer Scott Willoughby said. "He already had his berth, so we didn't need to worry about it. We planned on running him in the Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship (in October) but that didn't work out. We got him in this race to give him an out and he did a great job. He broke a little slow but came flying at the end. He's a heck of a horse. I was concerned that he might be a little short. There were some real nice horses in these trials. This was a very tough, tough race."

London Toby earned $11,000 for the win to take his career earnings to $292,806. This was his ninth win in 20 starts.

One Stolin Eagle advances to the Champions of Champions after a strong effort to London Toby in Division 1.
© William Zuazo

With Justine Klaiber aboard, One Stolin Eagle posted the next fastest time of :19.929 while making his first ever start at Los Alamitos. The 4-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelding by One Fabulous Eagle has had a fine 2024 campaign, winning the Grade 2 SLM Big Daddy Stakes at Remington Park and running second in the Grade 3 Two Rivers Stakes at Prairie Meadows.

"They sent the horse out to me and said he was eligible for these trials," Willis said. "He's done everything right since he's been here. I didn't know much about him but he ran real well. He broke really good, maybe had a little bobble in there, but he ran well. I'm very satisfied with him."

Willis then saddled Hooked N Gone to a gate to wire victory in the second trial, his winning time of :20.038 being the next fastest clocking of the night to earn him his second straight berth to the Champion of Champions.

The Laymon-bred gelding by Pyc Paint Your Wagon won the Z. Wayne last year as he made the 2023 Champion of Champions field. It was déjà vu for the Oklahoma-bred as he once again punched his ticket to the sport's richest race for older horses thanks to his effort in this year's Z. Wayne win.

"He deserves a berth to the Champion of Champions," Willis added. "He's a good horse. He's real honest and good to be around. He's solid. Now I'm hoping for that type of a start in the Champion of Champions. He had a good break tonight."

One Stolin Eagle and Hooked N Gone join London Toby, Empressum, Jeriko, Pattys Saint, Shakers No Secret, BP Cartel Policy, Jess Good Wine, and Out Of The Way with presumptive berths to the Champion of Champions on December 14.

Guns Up Racing's Jess Good Wine is scheduled to be on a flight to Southern California on Wednesday to begin preparing for his Los Alamitos debut in the Champion of Champions.

A perfect four for four in 2024, Jess Good Wine has won the Grade 1 Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship, the Grade 1 All American Gold Cup, the Grade 2 Mr Jet Moore and the Dee Raper Sooner Stakes. Three of those victories came at Remington Park with his All American Gold Cup win coming at The Downs at Albuquerque on Labor Day. Jess Good Win has won 10 of 18 career starts.

If the connections of Out Of The Way, who won the Grade 1 Downs at Albuquerque Fall Championship, decide not to run the son of First Moonflash in the Champion of Champions then that berth will go to Ed and Von Zae McNelis' Scoops Dynasty after running second to Hooked N Gone in a time of :20.093 on Sunday night.

Trained by Monty Arrossa, the multiple Grade 1 winner Scoops Dynasty will be looking for a second appearance in the Champion of Champions after being part of the field last year.

The next two hoping for a Champion of Champions berth are Howard Nichols' Jess Being A Friend, who ran third to Hooked N Gone in a time of :20.095, and George and Ruben Villalobos' Required First, who posted the next fastest time of :20.145 when finishing third to London Toby.

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