Jeriko (inside) got the best of Empressum in a head-to-head contested in the second Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

© William Zuazo

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–NOVEMBER 16, 2025–With the pressure of this being the final opportunity to earn a return trip to the 2025 Grade 1 Champion of Champions, Jeriko and Empressum both brought their "A" game to their Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials on Sunday at Los Alamitos, as the two superstars left cleanly while racing side-by-side, picked up speed right away, hooked up at the midway point and flew in the final 100 yards to clinch the last two available berths to the prestigious Champion of Champions.

A total of 15 top Quarter Horses competed in the trials at 400 yards hoping to grab a Champion of Champions spot. It was never going to be an easy task, as the list of hopefuls also included Grade 1 winners Shakers No Secret, London Toby, Cattail Cove and Heavens Uncle plus All American Derby runner-up Ariatt and the undefeated sophomore OJD Jess A Bug.

In the end, it was the seasoned warriors Jeriko and Empressum who got the job done, as they finished 1-2 in the second Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials. Bobby Cox's Jeriko outfinished Steve Holt and Jeff Jones' Empressum by a head while covering the distance in the fastest qualifying time of :19.493. 

Empressum, a two-time Champion of Champions winners, finished with the second fastest time of :19.509. Michael McKell and Casey Whitaker's RH Fouronthefloor chased Jeriko and Empressum to finish third, but he also finished with the third fastest time of :19.662.

Oscar Diaz and Karla Diaz-Gomez's OJD Jess A Bug improved his record to a perfect 13 for 13 after winning the opening trial with his time of :19.744 leaving him as the fourth fastest qualifier.

Jonathan Horowitz presented the trophy to winning trainer Chris O'Dell and jockey Jesus Rios Ayala. © William Zuazo

Jeriko and Empressum will now join Stanley Cartel, FDD Dreams, Scoops Dynasty, Hott Temptation, RC Corona King, Unrelentless, Hooked N Gone and Norco in this year's Champion of Champions to be held on Saturday, December 13.

Sunday was Jeriko's night to shine, as the son of One Famous Eagle broke closer than he usually does and from there he began to unleash his usual potent kick. Sixth at the start, Jeriko had moved up to second by the midway point and after taking over the lead from Rlh Fouronthefloor, he kept Empressum at bay to win his 11th race in 22 starts. Ridden by Jesus Rios Ayala and trained by Chris O'Dell, Jeriko will now start for the third time in the Champion of Champions after running fourth in both of previous appearances in the sport's most prestigious race for older horses. It's been a huge week for the 5-year-old Texas-bred gelding.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Jeriko was newest AQHA Supreme Racehorse thanks to his great success on the track. Quarter Horses earn the Supreme Racehorse award after winning 10 races during their career, at least two of them being Grade 1 races, while also earning over $500,000.

Jeriko's 10th career victory came in his first start with O'Dell as trainer when winning an allowance race here on September 14. His two Grade 1 wins both occurred at Los Alamitos when winning the Los Alamitos Super Derby in 2023 and the Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship last year.

Ojd Jess A Bug on his wo his 15th consecutive victory in the opening Z Wayne Griffin Directors Trial. © William Zuazo

O'Dell has a lot of experience training horses to the Champion of Champions. He qualified the outstanding Catchmeinyourdreams in 2003, 2004 and 2005 and also had Powerful Favorite in the race in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Bomb Cyclone was in the 2022 running as well, which was the year of Empressum's first Champion of Champions wins.

"When (Jeriko) steps away, he's pretty tough," O'Dell said. "What a tough race that was to begin with. I'm just so pleased to see him break at all because he hasn't broke very many times, not as good as he did tonight, I think.  I got handed this runner. Heath Taylor did a great job with him over the years. It's the same story. You just stay out of their way, these good horses. You stick to your guns, the old books, the old ways and just try to keep them fat and happy. Just by running him, this is my third time running him, I learn about him more and more."

Ridden by Rodrigo Sigala Vallejo and trained by Elena Andrade, Empressum is back in the Champion of Champions for the fourth consecutive year. The 7-year-old gelding by Apollitical Jess now has a chance to join Refrigerator as the only three-time winners of the Champion of Champions. In addition to winning the 2022 running, Empressum also won last year's running by a ½ length.

Empressum's runner-up finish in this race also helped one of the most exclusive clubs in Quarter Horse racing. Bred by his owners, the Oklahoma-bred earned $4,500 for this second place finish to take his career bankroll o $2,502,748. He joins KJ Desparado ($3,367,447) and Ochoa ($2,781,365) are the Quarter Horses with other $2.5 million in lifetime earnings. Empressum will enter this year's Champion of Champions having lost all three of his starts so far in 2025.

Z Wayne Directors Trial #1winning connections include owner Oscar Diaz and Karla Diaz-Gomez. © William Zuazo

He has now finished second in all three of his starts this year, the other two being runner-up efforts to Scoops Dynasty in the Go Man Go Handicap and to Stanley Cartel in the Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational. His winless 2025 season is reminiscent to Refrigerator's 1994 campaign in which he lost his first four starts of the year, including a second-place finish in the Los Alamitos Invitational, before winning that year's running of the Champion of Champions for a yet to be matched third time.

It had to be a tad of a bittersweet night for the connections of OJD Jess A Bug. They enjoyed the thrill of seeing their homebred improve his record to a perfect 13 for 13 while beating Brazilian superstar Edberg Verde plus Grade 1 winners Shakers No Secret and London Toby. Ridden by Jose Nicasio for trainer Jesus Nunez, OJD Jess A Bud won his trial by ½ length but unfortunately was only the fourth fastest of the night. Nevertheless, owners Oscar and Karla Diaz-Gomez were mighty proud of their Idaho-bred.

"He's a great horse," Oscar Diaz said. "Every time he starts here he gets better  and better. He was a little behind but he went and caught them. Even if he's not (in the Champion of Champions) we know that he's a good horse. He's now running with the big guys."

"I lost my voice," said Karla Diaz-Gomez, a result of her cheering for her homebred. "It's an amazing moment to be able to share this with my family. (The horse) has shown great progress from where he started to now. We're excited to see what's to come. I was there the day he was born. I remember his first steps. He was very mischievous (as a baby). It's been an amazing experience to have him."

 OJD Jess A Bug is paid to the 2026 Grade 1 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship.

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