LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JANUARY 3, 2020—Champion of Champions finalists As And Js and Tequila Sangria will take on defending stakes winner Thermonuclear Energy and seven other top mares in the Grade 1, $100,000 Charger Bar Handicap on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

First post for the 8-race program is 5:20 p.m. with the Charger Bar scheduled as the eighth and final race at 8:22 p.m. (PST).

Steve Burns’ Tequila Sangria will look to become the seventh mare to win both of the open Grade 1 stakes races for mares offered annually at Los Alamitos - the Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap and the Charger Bar.

As a 3-year-old, Tequila Sangria defeated older mares to win the Mildred Vessels at 3-1 odds last year. Starting from post number 10, the mare by leading sire Favorite Cartel is now the 3-1 second choice in Ed Burgart’s morning line for the Charger Bar at 400 yards. Jesus Rios Ayala will ride the homebred mare for trainer Mike Casselman.

Owned by Leonardo Alcala and trained by Monty Arrossa, As And Js is the 2-1 favorite in Burgart’s morning line after running fifth in the Grade 1 Champion of Champions and second in both the Mildred Vessels and in her division of the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials last year. The Apollitical Jess mare has long been one of the nation’s top distaffers with stakes wins at Remington Park in Easy Date Handicap and Juno’s Request Handicap. Jose Nicasio will pilot her from post number seven.

Parsons Family Limited Partnership’s Thermonuclear Energy won the 2019 Charger Bar as the big favorite and is now the morning line’s third choice at 7-2 odds. The Walk Thru Fire mare successfully defended her Matron Stakes title last year and it would not be a major surprise to see her win this race once again due to her love for the 400-yard distance. Chris O’Dell, the meet’s leading Quarter Horse trainer last year, will saddle the Parsons-bred mare from post number three.

This quality group will also feature Ed Allred’s Tough To Figure, winner of the $50,000 Las Damas Handicap in her last start, and multiple stakes winners Love To Reason Br and Duck Dash N Go.

Matilda Czech, Fenian Faith, You Caught My Eye and Madam Of Fire MV will complete the field.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.