Brad McKinzie Winter Championship

Brad McKinzie Winter Championship

Unrelentless earns his first Grade 1 win.

Unrelentless. PHOTO: Amber Mendez

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Unrelentless, a 4-year-old son of champion Hes Relentless racing for Reliance Ranches LLC, earned his first Grade 1 victory in Sunday's $135,750 Brad McKinzie Winter Championship (G1) at Los Alamitos Racecourse.

Ridden by Justine Klaiber for trainer Eddie Willis, Unrelentless covered 400 yards in :19.568, and his winning margin was a short nose from London Toby, who was clocked in :19.572. The bay stallion earned a 95 speed index and the $57,015 winner's share of the purse from his third lifetime stakes score.

Unrelentless was bred in Oklahoma by Flag Ranch LLC, and he made his season debut with a head victory on a track labeled "wet-fast" in first of two trials on January 26. A $200,000 purchase at the 2022 Heritage Place Yearling Sale, he is out of Painted Wine Wagon, a homebred daughter of PYC Paint Your Wagon who won the '17 Oklahoma Horsemen's Association Mystery Futurity (RG3) at Will Rogers Downs.

Unrelentless was extending his win streak to four races, a streak that includes victories in the November 9, 400-yard Town Policy Stakes, and the December 21, 350-yard A Ransom Stakes. Raced in three states, including Oklahoma and New Mexico, the stallion has won seven of his 17 starts -- including five of eight at Los Alamitos -- and he has earned $409,742.

Unrelentless also landed the season's first presumptive berth to this year's Champion of Champions.

BP Cartel Policy finished third, a half of a length behind Unrelentless, and was followed by Kevins Wise Corona, Jess Being A Friend, Tempting Barbie, Edberg Verde, Straight And True, Beduinos Favorite and Scoops Dynasty.

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