APOLLITICAL TIME DEFENDS TITLE

COURTESY OF STALLIONESEARCH.COM & AQHRJ


Apollitical Time winning the 2006 Bank of America Challenge Championship.
Photo by Scott Martinez



Apollitical Time Defends Title



THE AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE RACING JOURNAL—AUGUST 23, 2007—A year ago, Apollitical Time took a major step toward her champion aged horse title with a win in the California Challenge and she is set to defend that record-setting victory in the $75,150 Bank of America California Challenge (G2) on Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

In last year’s 440-yard running she turned in a :21.18 time for the second all-time quickest quarter mile at Los Alamitos and the fastest time ever under the lights. Two-time world champion Dash For Cash set the :21.17 track record during the afternoon in the 1976 Champion Of Champions.

Juan Alberto Tirado Lizarraga’s Apollitical Time (Apollo (TB)-Half Time Attraction by First Down Dash) followed her half-length win in the California Challenge with consecutive wins in the Mildred Vessels Handicap (G1), Los Alamitos Championship (G1) and her Directors Stakes trial for trainer Juan Alleman. She was sent off as the favorite in the Champion Of Champions and finished fourth.

Kirk Goodfellow’s Catchmeinyourdreams (Pritzi Dash-Lizas Mystique by White Tie) won the 2005 California Challenge and went on to win the Challenge Championship, the last year it was run at Los Alamitos. Now 8 years old and a millionaire, the Chris O’Dell trained gelding has an allowance win and a second in the $150,000 Spencer Childers Challenge Championship (G1) from two 2007 starts.

Don and Peggy Boyle’s Strawkins (Hawkinson-Shirleys Strawfly by Strawfly Special) makes his 2007 debut after being named the 2006 champion 3-year-old gelding. He won the 2006 Rainbow Derby (G1) at Ruidoso Downs in 440-yard track-record time, was second to Apollitical Time in the Los Alamitos Championship and third in the All American Derby for trainer Paul Jones.

Jones also will saddle Leading Spirit (Special Leader-Sandras Task by Special Task) in his comeback bid. He is making his first start in more than a year and his first start for Jones at Los Alamitos. He won his first seven career starts in 2005, with Grade 1 wins in the Rainbow, Ruidoso and West Texas futurities. He had two lackluster starts at Ruidoso Downs last summer.

Leading Spirit prepared for Saturday’s comeback with an excellent 350-yard work of :17.50 at Los Alamitos.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

She is an amazing mare! Wishing her all the best!!!