CYPRESS — Twenty-five-year-old quarter-horse trainer Xavier Rodriguez added a thrill to a whirlwind year when the 3-year-old gelding Fdd Dreams and jockey Luis Martinez scored an upset win in the Champion of Champions Stakes at Los Alamitos on Saturday night.
It was a bittersweet moment, though. Major-race-winning 4-year-old Stanley Cartel fell after finishing sixth in the race and had to be euthanized, a Los Alamitos spokesman said. Details on the horse’s injury were not immediately available. Jockey Juan Pulido walked away from the fall.
Fdd Dreams paid $13.30 after winning the $700,000 race in a photo finish over 9-5 favorite Jeriko in 21.40 seconds for 440 yards. Long shot Unrelentless finished third, Norco fourth. Empressum started poorly from post 1 and came in fifth in his bid for a record-tying third Champion of Champions win.
Fdd Dreams won the Ruidoso and All American derbies and now has added the most prestigious race open to older quarter horses, becoming the first 3-year-old to win the Champion of Champions since Zoomin For Spuds in 2016.
“It’s just surreal, how amazing that horse is,” said Rodriguez, an El Paso native who trains in New Mexico.
An increasing number of horses have died in racing and training at the Orange County track in 2025, including three in one night of races Nov. 23.
“It’s a bad deal. It’s a bittersweet moment, seeing that happen,” Rodriguez said of seeing a horse and rider fall as his own horse is winning.
Stanley Cartel was saddled by Luke Lindsey after trainer Ramiro Castillo was banned from Los Al following the deaths of five of his horses this year.
Rodriguez can add another big win Sunday night when he runs favorite Political Twist in the Los Alamitos 2 Million Futurity, with a $1,929,825 purse. Quarter-horse futurities’ purses are swelled by early nomination and trial fees for hundreds of 2-year-olds who don’t get to the finals.