The American Quarter Horse Association announced that it will name its 2008 racing champions on Tuesday, February 10.

Originally scheduled for January 14, the naming of champions was postponed after New Mexico Racing Commission stewards ruled that 2008 All American Futurity winner Stolis Winner be taken down and designated unplaced, on the strength of test results which found caffeine in samples of blood and urine collected on the day of the race.

As the first to horse to the wire in the $1.9 million All American Futurity, at Ruidoso Downs on September 1, as well as the winner of the Rainbow and the Heritage Place futurities, Stolis Winner was a standout for 2008 champion 2-year-old. Even stripped of the $1 million winners purse from the All American Futurity, the Stolis-sired gelding, bred and owned by former AQHA president Jerry Windham, still has career earnings of $820,437.

“Champion ballots were cast by the AQHA champions selection committee during the first week of January and had already been counted by the time the stewards’ ruling was announced on January 8,” said Trey Buck, AQHA executive director of racing. “We felt the interests of American Quarter Horse racing would best be served by accepting the results of the vote, without further delay, so that the horses, as well as their owners, breeders and trainers can be recognized at the 2009 AQHA Convention.”

The champions will also be recognized during the AQHA Convention in San Antonio, TX, on March 8.