AMARILLO, Texas The Los Alamitos Champion of Champions (G1), the richest race for older racing American Quarter Horses, will be featured on a special broadcast on December 16 beginning at 10 p.m. Pacific (12 a.m. December 17 Central Standard Time; 1 a.m. December 17 Eastern time).

Vying for a purse of $500,000, the field is comprised of the winners of major G1 stakes including last year's Champion of Champions winner A RANSOM. At the classic Quarter Horse distance of a quarter mile, the Champion of Champions usually determines the World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse

FAST FOR MONEY and STOLI each won divisions of Friday's Z. Wayne Griffin Director's Stakes (G3) at Los Alamitos to earn berths in this year's Champion of Champions (G1).

In addition to FAST FOR MONEY and STOLI, MEDDLIN IN MONEY, FLARE FOR TOBY and YOU SCARE ME also earned berths in the Champion of Champions, which will be renewed for the 30th time on December 16.

Racing for AQHA Immediate Past President Jerry Windham and saddled by Russell Harris, FAST FOR MONEY won the first division by a neck from YOU SCARE ME. The 4-year-old mare by HEZA FAST MAN covered 400 yards in :19.945 under Tad Leggett and recorded her 11th win in 21 starts.

STOLI, racing for R.D. Hubbard, won the second division by a neck from MEDDLIN IN MONEY. Prepped by Paul Jones and ridden by Joe Badilla Jr., the 3-year-old First Down Dash colt stopped the timer in :19.860 for his fourth victory in his last five races. FLARE FOR TOBY ran third, a half of a side behind the winner.

The five qualifiers from Friday's Z. Wayne Griffin Director's Stakes will join MARMET, HAWKINSON and champions A RANSOM, TAILOR FIT and CORONA KOOL in this year's Champion of Champions.

"GMC America's Horse" covers a variety of equestrian activities including cutting and reining events, American Quarter Horse racing, AQHA-approved shows and other activities involving American Quarter Horses. "GMC America's Horse" reaches nearly 20 million viewers in 9 million households and is broadcast each Monday at 1 p.m. Eastern time on ESPN2.

For more information about "GMC America's Horse," including a schedule, information about purchasing tapes and biographies about the show's hosts, visit www.aqha.com or call (806) 376-4811.

Champion of Champion Qualifying Format
This year, the Champion of Champions Race has not only seen an increase in the purse, but changes have been made to the Champion of Champions qualifying procedure. According to Los Alamitos Race Course Owner and CEO Edward C. Allred, the changes were prompted by an expanded 2001 racing schedule at Los Alamitos, which now offers year-round racing.

Previously, horses that won one of seven designated races (see below) or qualified through the Z. Wayne Griffin Director's Trials were invited to race in the Champion of Champions. In the event a horse earned more than one berth or declined to accept the invitation, the second-place horse was awarded the berth. The three remaining berths were available through the Z. Wayne Griffin Director's Trials, held in late November at Los Alamitos.

In 2001, the All American Derby has been deleted from the designated races list, while the Los Alamitos Winter Championship has been added. The seven races which carry automatic starting berths to the 2001 Champion of Champions are as follows: 2000 Champion of Champions (A RANSOM); Los Alamitos Winter Championship (HAWKINSON); Vessels Maturity (A RANSOM); Remington Park Championship (TAILOR FIT); Los Alamitos Derby (MARMET); MBNA America Challenge Championship (TAILOR FIT) and Los Alamitos Championship (CORONA KOOL).

Since, the second-place finishers were no longer be eligible to receive a Champion of Champions starting berth, all open berths were reverted to the Z. Wayne Griffin Director's Trials. Horses that finish 1-2-3 in a Grade 1 stake, 1-2 in a Grade 2 stake, or win a Grade 3 stake in 2001 are eligible to enter the Z. Wayne Griffin Director's Trials. A horse not meeting the above criteria can still enter the time trials for a $10,000 supplemental fee.

The final change to the qualifying format will go into effect for the 2002 Champion of Champions. Beginning in 2001, the winner of the Champion of Champions will no longer receive an automatic starting berth for the next year's race. While A Ransom retains his starting spot in this year's race by virtue of his 2000 win, the 2001 winner will not be vested in the 2002 Champion of Champions. Instead, the Go Man Go Handicap will be added as a designated race beginning in 2002.