Page 152 - March 2020

Brad McKinzie Winter Championship-G1
BOS TIME MACHINE
by Tracy Gantz
Winning the $156,359 Brad McKinzie Winter Championship-G1 at Los Alamitos gives a horse and trainer some breathing room.
Because it’s early in the season—Feb. 9 this year—and comes with a berth to the Champion of Champions-G1 at Los Alamitos in December, a trainer can schedule a few breathers for his runner. That may be the plan for this year’s winner, Bos Time Machine, trained by Paul Jones.
“I’ve learned that if you win the Winter Championship and earn the Champion of Champions berth, you want to give the horse some time off,” said Jones. “Hopefully, he returns with a strong second half of the year.”
A 14-time Champion trainer, Jones certainly has enough experience. He has won the Winter Championship six times: with Whosleavingwho (2003 and 2005), Volcom (2007), Good Reason SA (2011), and Rylees Boy (2013) prior to Bos Time Machine’s victory this year. Good Reason SA won the Champion of Champions-G1 the same year he took the Winter Championship, while Whosleavingwho won it in 2002 and Rylees Boy won it in 2012. Jones has won the Champion of Champions-G1 with three other horses as well.
Originally known as
the Los Alamitos Winter Championship, the race was renamed in 2018 for Brad McKinzie, the longtime Los Alamitos racing executive who died in 2017.
Mr. McKinzie also has
a Thoroughbred horse, trained by Bob Baffert, named for him. McKinzie the Thoroughbred is a multiple Graded stakes winner.
Jones saddled Bos Time
Machine in the Winter Championship for owners Gary and Dee Hoovestal of Helena, Montana.
“Gary is a super nice guy, and he loves the horses,” said Jones. “It’s too bad he wasn’t here tonight for this win, but I’m sure he was watching and I’m sure he’s happy.”
With regular rider Carlos Huerta aboard, Bos Time Machine broke on top and led throughout. But Jones was a little concerned with the start.
“He kind of got an awkward break,” the trainer said. “He kind of beat the gate, but he hopped. He came down running.”
Corona Jumpim MRL, Powerful Favorite, and Jess Macho Corona made it close, but Bos Time Machine held them off to win by a head. He stopped the timer in :19.775 for the 400 yards, posting a 93 speed index.
The $67,011 winner’s share of the purse boosted his total bankroll to $128,008.
“It got a little scary there for a minute,” said Jones. “I noticed at the wire that he
held on. It was a happy moment.”
Huerta admitted that he and Bos Time
Machine got lucky.
“He got a fast start, and I felt that he
could finish strongly,” Huerta said. “You have to take advantage of these type
of opportunities.
“I’m thrilled to have qualified a horse in the Champion of Champions so early in the year. I’ve grown to really love this horse. He’s really gentle and friendly, but a monster on the racetrack.”
Huerta won the 2017 Champion of Champions aboard Mr PYC To You. He and
Los Alamitos $156,359 • 400 yards :19.775 • si 93
First Down Dash
Bodacious Dash
St Pats Tea
BOS TIME MACHINE, ‘16-g.
Chicks Beduino
One Prompt Chick
Prompt Am I
150 SPEEDHORSE March 2020
Bos Time Machine and Carlos Huerta receive every call to win the $156,359 Brad McKinzie Winter Championship-G1
RACING NEWS
Los Alamitos