Listed below are each years champions to the AJC Championship Series Final. The series was created in 2010 and meant to showcase the best of the best from each stable's racing string. The series is a prestigious event, and the final races feature the largest purse ever offered by the AJC.
In addition to being extremely prestigious, the event is also to honor the great AJC racers of the past. Each race is named after a horse who competed in the AJC and became a champion themselves. Please enjoy reading about the greats of the AJC, and we welcome the friendly competition!
SERIES FINAL - September 4, 20101. Sparkle Pearl Oaks G1
Sparkle Pearl, owned by Sunni
2. Rocky Raccoon DS Stakes G1
MYS Satem, owned by Sunni
3. Marutas CH Stakes G1 TURF
Ehecatl CH , owned by Megan
Child Of The Night Cup Recipient:Sparkle Pearl, owned by Sunni
Sparkle Pearl+
(Knossos X Peri)
2004 Grey Domestic Arabian Mare
fisalyn.com/MVS/horsepage.php?id=118
SERIES FINAL - September 3, 20111. Sparkle Pearl Oaks G1
*Lauyal's Dancing Desire++, owned by Megan
2. Rocky Raccoon DS Stakes G1
MYL Amalas, owned by Sunni
3. Marutas CH Stakes G1 TURF
LL Eleksandr, owned by Sunni
Child Of The Night Cup Recipient:LL Eleksandr, owned by Sunni
LL Eleksandr+
(Borneo X Elpida)
2004 Black Polish Polish Arabian Stallion
fisalyn.com/MVS/horsepage.php?id=249
SERIES FINAL - September 3, 20121. Sparkle Pearl Oaks G1
MYS Sulimá, owned by Sunni
2. Rocky Raccoon DS Stakes G1
MYL Amalas, owned by Sunni
3. Marutas CH Stakes G1 TURF
Ehecatl CH, owned by Megan
Child Of The Night Cup Recipient:LL Eleksandr, owned by Sunni (two years in a row!)
LL Eleksandr+
(Borneo X Elpida)
2004 Black Polish Polish Arabian Stallion
fisalyn.com/MVS/horsepage.php?id=249
SERIES FINAL - October 4, 20131. Sparkle Pearl Oaks G1
CK Moynihan - Lamp Light Equestrian
2. Rocky Raccoon DS Stakes G1
MYL Utheth - Sunni
3. Marutas CH Stakes G1 TURF
Ehecatl CH+++ - C&H Ranch
Child Of The Night Cup Recipient:CK Moynihan - Lamp Light Equestrian
[no photo]
CK Moynihan+/
(PYR Nader X Glorieruminaja)
2008 Grey Straight Egyptian Arabian Mare
www.lamplighteq.com/ck-moynihan.html
SERIES FINAL - October 5, 20141. Sparkle Pearl Oaks G1
*Lauyal's Dancing Desire+++ - C&H Ranch
2. Rocky Raccoon DS Stakes G1
WCh. PYR Midnight Melodic++ - Lamp Light Equestrian
3. Marutas CH Stakes G1 TURF
Mythbuster CH+/ - C&H Ranch
Child Of The Night Cup Recipient:Lady Madonna DS++ - C&H Ranch
HOF Lady Madonna DS++++
(*Eminence PASB+ X Korexia)
2003 Bay Polish Arabian Mare
chranch.twolarrysracing.com/arabmares/ladymadonna.shtml
SERIES FINAL - October 3, 20151. Sparkle Pearl Oaks G1
Tangerina CH- Sunni
2. Rocky Raccoon DS Stakes G1
Tals Prince - OTS
3. Marutas CH Stakes G1 TURF
*S Adelanto+ - C&H Ranch
Child Of The Night Cup Recipient:MYL Sorneyl- Sunni
MYL Sorneyl+
(*Lucjan X Arabella)
2011 Grey Polish Polish Arabian Stallion
fisalyn.com/MVS/horsepage.php?id=268
And in 2016 the AJC wrote a full review on the races, for your viewing pleasure!
Championship Final day dawned with only a slight chill in the air around 7am as the sun crested the mountain peaks at C&H. The horses had already been fed and worked by now, and it was a matter of the waiting game for the races. Entertainment was provided in the infield arena to the spectators, who giggled at the comically dressed Halloween costume horses with various riders or carts, outright laughed at items such as Prince Of Perfection CH's stable brush being silly-auctioned to raise money for The Committee, and oooh'd and aahhhh'd at the lovely Arabians at liberty. Eventually the bugle call resounded, and it was business time.
The day started with the Sparkle Pearl Oaks G1, named for Sunni's lovely mare who made history in HF by winning two of the three Triple Tiara races, and even winning her own race named after her in the 2010 AJC Championship Series Final. The field broke strong, with the favorites being 2016 series race winners Ananke DE of Datura Estates, MYL Felynda of Mystic Visions, and NCh. Poise LLE+ of Lamp Light Equestrian. Early on into the turn, the field of eleven bunched together so tight, it was astounding they could move at all! AJC veteran and champ CK Sour Witch, owned by Sunni of Mystic Visions, and Metallica CH, owned by C&H Ranch, were pushed into each other and bumped pretty hard. Metallica was clearly upset and straggled to the end of the pack in a tantrum, never to rally again the rest of the race. Sour Witch recovered, but only enough to get just ahead of tenth place runner Somnhia DE, owned by Datura Estates.
As the field rounded the final turn, the leaders began to kick it into high gear. The three favorites proved again why they were the 2016 favorite fillies, passing the dueling Tikis French Connection, owned by New Harvest Arabians and Psympatika PVE, owned by Pineview Equestrian in a hard drive to the wire three abreast. MYL Felynda managed to show one extra burst of iron will to get her nose just in front of the other two at the wire. What an exciting display of courage!
1. Sparkle Pearl Oaks G1 - $1,000,000 WIN . MYL Felynda- Sunni
PLACE . Ananke DE - Datura Estates (Chay)
SHOW . NCh. Poise LLE+ - Lamp Light Equestrian
The lovely MYL Felynda, winner of the 2016 Sparkle Pearl Oaks G1
(Nasr Ibn Aszim X N Tempest by Baraka Tamouz
2009 Grey Egyptian Egyptian Arabian Mare
Owned by Sunni of Mystic Visions
fisalyn.com/MVS/horsepage.php?id=263The track was groomed and ready once again, after the exciting running of the Sparkle Pearl Oaks. The overwhelming favorite of the next race, the Rocky Raccoon DS G1, was the experienced race veteran Magnar R, owned by Sunni of Mystic Visions. This is a name that the AJC Nation was very familiar with - how you could forget a 2014 AJC Triple Crown winner?! Winner of this year's PYR Psy Kotik Stakes G1 in the second race of the series, Sunni and Magnar hoped make even more history by capturing the race named after his own sire, 10-time stakes winner, 4-time AJC Year End Award champion including 2007 AJC Awards AJC HORSE OF THE YEAR, and 3-time AHA National Champion. Two other colts to watch in this race were Psy Ko Bandito PVE, owned by Pineview Equestrian and Commotion WVF, owned by Gunslinger INC. They were close in the favorites, though Commotion turned in slightly better exercise times this week so it would be interesting to see what would come of these two.
The field of nine broke clean and free of each other as the bell rang and the gates clanged open. They each settled into a fairly easy pace and respectful distance from each other. These boys know their job, and it is plain to see as they covered ground. Rounding the turn and heading into the backstretch, clockers were scratching their heads. This was not the fast-paced exciting colt final race they were expecting to see, especially not with such an explosively talented field! It was almost as if each horse were loafing, and each jockey wasn't paying attention to the speed. Mid-backstretch, 2013 Triple Crown champion MYL Masdaer, owned by Sunni of Mystic Visions, gave his notice to the field that he expected to win this. From that point, everything changed.
The field came alive! With what looked like to be the slowest Final race ever suddenly turned into bids of the lead with blistering speeds! Commotion WVF and Psy Ko Bandito PVE began battling it out by pushing each other for more and more, locked in a duel of rivalry. Coming out of the final turn, Optimus Prime CH, owned by C&H Ranch, came alongside to challenge their pace with MYL Masdaer, but couldn't handle the sheer speed they had turned on. Closer to the wire they came, and as suddenly as their pace had quickened, it slowed! They had run each other out and tired! A hole of opportunity between the tiring front runners opened for DSF Ibn Bhagyaraj, owned by Gunslinger INC, and he squeezed through to take the lead. It's going to be DSF Ibn Bhagyaraj for the win!
BUT WAIT! A deafening roar drown out everything else as the AJC fans saw what they had been hoping for. A fresh Magnar R was barreling down and an unbelievable speed for an Arabian, no, even for a Thoroughbred! He was flying on the outside! The slow early pace left him full of run for the homestretch, and endurance horse Magnar R did not disappoint. He swept past Bhagyaraj, uncontested to the finish line in an amazing win of seven furlongs. The crowd roared again when the time was displayed on the results board - Magnar R had set a track record.
2. Rocky Raccoon DS Stakes G1 - $1,000,000 WIN . Magnar R- Sunni
PLACE . DSF Ibn Bhagyaraj - Gunslinger Inc
SHOW . ETM Hammerbite Magnum - Eagle Talon Manor
The resolute champion, Magnar R, winner of the 2016 Rocky Raccoon DS Stakes G1
(Rocky Raccoon DS X MYL Mariya by Paladin)
2010 Grey Russian Arabian Stallion
Owned by Sunni of Mystic Visions
fisalyn.com/MVS/horsepage.php?id=241How could you possibly top that race?! The stands were full of adrenaline and buzzing with excitement so much that spectators didn't realize the track was groomed and ready for the Marutas CH Stakes TURF GI. Named for the 7-time stakes winner who secured 5 AJC Year End Awards including 2008 AJC Year End Awards AJC HORSE OF THE YEAR CHAMPION, and later became a 5-time AHA National Champion, the Marutas CH Stakes GI is a flagship championship for turf racers, especially after his own son, the great Triple Crown Winner Ehecatl CH, secured it in his race record FOUR times. If you win this competitive co-ed race, you are truly a turf horse champion.
The heavy favorite for today's race was Triton BM, owned by New Harvest. He was coming into this race strong, having won the DSF Vigilante Stakes G1 TURF at the second race of the series. A close second for favorite was MYL Brizinitri, owned by Mystic Visions, who was still fresh in everyone's minds as the 2015 Triple Crown winner. GI Wyspany, owned by Gunslinger INC, was also a contender for the first place, especially considering GI Wyspany's success in the 2015 AJC Year End Awards.
At the bell, Macedonia M, owned by C&H Ranch, stumbled hard and went to her knees right out of the gate. Her jockey made the safe decision and pulled her up. This has not been a good raceday for C&H Ranch! Zaphyra DE, owned by Datura Estates, and Coal Ghost WVF, owned by Eagle Talon Manor, set a conservative early pace and the field fanned out behind them, biding their time to make their move. OTS Shazaam, owned by Oak Tree Stables and had been announced prior to the race that he was destined for retirement and stud duties in the near future, moved up to not quite challenge the front runners, but rather swap leads with them as they went through the turn. OTS Shazaam is noted for his ability to drop his shoulder in the turn and power through without losing speed, in comparison to most horses on the field.
The field continued at a fairly enduring speed, making it to the far turn and coming around to the homestretch with minimal drama. As they rounded the turn, the game was on! Jockeys encouraged their horses as they each dug into what they had been saving up. OTS Shazaam made his statement by pushing into the front, with MYL Brizinitri a neck behind, and Triton BM, owned by New Harvest, pressured them on the outside a length behind. Closer to the wire they charged, and MYL Brizinitri showed signs of tiring - was losing ground and falling back. Triton inched forward, his blowing nostrils first at Shazaam's saddle pad, then neck, then nose, then ahead by a nose. They were mere feet within the finish line!
But what's this! On the inside, a black comet with a streaming tail barely squeaked her little body between large-moving Anglo-Arabian 15.1 Shazaam and the rail! The mighty 14.3 filly who could, Pallene CE, owned by Odeon of Gunslinger INC, took everyone by surprise and won by a neck! Which really shouldn't have been - if you study her record, this mare has finished in the money 71% of her career and has over $1.2 million in earnings. Hopefully you put your money on Pallene today, she offered a huge payout!
3. Marutas CH Stakes G1 - $1,000,000 WIN . Pallene CE - Gunslinger Inc
PLACE . Triton BM - Amanda
SHOW . OTS Shazaam - Oak Tree Stables
The finely sculpted Pallene CE, winner of the Marutas CH Stakes TURF G1
2011 Black Domestic Arabian Mare
(Precisionist OS X Black Saturn by Black Lightning)
Owned by Odeon of Gunslinger INC
gunslingerinc.boards.net/thread/43/domestic-arabian-nch-pallene-ceAfter all of the excited of racing was over for the day, the AJC asked Odeon of Gunslinger to bring a certain one of their horses to the winner's circle. At the end of the yearly Series, the AJC awards one winner of all the races the elite Child Of The Night Cup in honor of their effort and excellence in this grueling, highly competitive series. This year's Child Of The Night Cup honor is awarded to:
GI Aksinya
(Nakona X Angelic Death by Prospecktor)
2012 Grey (Bay Based) Russian Arabian Mare
5th place in the 2016 Marutas CH Stakes GI TURF runner and winner of the 2016 Enchanted SF Stakes GI TURF GI.
An astounding 88% place in the money, and 25% wins, over $1 million in purse money in just 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Placed in the top three in each of the 2016 AJC Triple Tiara races.