Los Alamitos year end meet leaders include jockey Reynoso Lopez, trainer Willoughby Top and owner Ed Allred.

© Los Alamitos

By Orlando Gutierrez, Los Alamitos

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—DECEMBER 22, 2025–Henry Reynoso Lopez won his first Los Alamitos Quarter Horse riding title, while Scott Willoughby secured his second Quarter Horse training crown here during the recently concluded 2025 Los Alamitos racing season.

Reynoso Lopez led all Quarter Horse jockeys with 44 wins here. His top wins came with Parsons Family Limited Partnership’s Rockin With Energy, as Reynoso Lopez piloted her to victory in the Grade 1 Charger Bar Handicap and Grade 2 Las Damas Handicap.

He also rode Doodah Cartel to the fastest qualifying time to the Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity. Reynoso Lopez made his riding debut in 2019 before becoming fully established in 2021. He finished sixth in the standings that year before reaching third spot in the standing in 2022 and fourth in 2023. He’s won 200 Quarter Horse races in his career. 

Cruz Mendez, a five-time leading Quarter Horse rider here, finished second in the standings with 42 wins. Gabriel Gomez Lara finished third with 35 wins.

 “About five years ago Cruz told me that I had the potential to be a leading rider here one day,” Reynoso Lopez said. “I never forgot that and it meant a lot coming from him.”

Willoughby saddled 41 Quarter Horse winners this year to claim his second leading trainer title at Los Alamitos. He was also the leading trainer here in 2020. Earlier this year, Willoughby achieved his 100th Quarter Horse stakes win at Los Alamitos with Allred’s Defending Champ in the $175,000 Governor's Cup Derby.

Willoughby became only the sixth trainer in the history of Los Alamitos to reach the century plateau in stakes wins, joining Blane Schvaneveldt, Paul Jones, John Cooper, Jaime Gomez, and Jose Flores. Flores was second in the standings with 35 wins while Jones was third with 33.

Allred added another Quarter Horse owner title after picking up 48 wins this season.  His top winners included Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby winner Norco and Governor’s Cup winner Defending Champ, both trained by Willoughby. EG High Desert Farms and Reliance Ranches tied for second with 16 wins each.

In the Thoroughbred standings, Edgar Payeras secured a second straight title aboard the breed with 37 victories. Ricardo Ramirez was second in the standings for the second consecutive year with 17 wins with Salvador Vargas finished third with 15.

The Thoroughbred trainer standings was the closest of all races with Sergio Morfin finished at the top with 21 wins to finish one ahead of Angela Aquino’s 20 wins. Jorge Farias and Jesus Nunez finished third with 14 wins each.

Aquino did finish as the leading owner with 1o wins. Jesus Uranga and Mike Flory were second with eight wins each.

The Mixed-breed ranks went to Edgar Payeras and Jesus Uranga. Payeras finished as the top pilot with 52 wins with Ricardo Ramirez a close second with 47.  Adrian Escobedo completed the top three with 38 wins.

Uranga dominated with trainer standings with 31 wins. Sergio Morfin and Angela Aquino tied for second in this category with 21 victories. Uranga also claimed the leading owner title with 17 wins. Silvia Soto and Sergio Morfin Racing Stables finished in a tie for second place with 10 wins each.

The 76th year of racing at Los Alamitos opens Sunday, December 28.  The first Grade 1 stakes race of the meet is set for Sunday, January 4 with the running of the Charger Bar Handicap for mares ages 4 and up. For more info, please contact 714-820-2690.    

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