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

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