HOUSTON, TX—MARCH 28, 2015—Picking up only the second win his career, Hialeah Park Maturity winner Jessies First Down defeated The Lizzard King by a neck Saturday night at Sam Houston Race Park to post the top qualifying mark for the $100,000 Bank of America Texas Challenge Championship(G2).

The 10 AQHA Racing Challenge enrolled American Quarter Horses who posted the fastest times, from the two trial races contested, will return to Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday, April 18 to vie for the winner's share of a $100,000-added purse and garner a starting spot in the $350,000 Grade 1 Bank of America Challenge Championship to be run November 7 at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas.

Ridden by jockey Rodrigo Vallejo, Jessies First Down broke on top and used a strong drive down the inside rail to keep The Lizzard King at bay throughout the 440 yards. Saddled by trainer Leslie Padilla, the FDD Dynasty 4-year-old stopped the clock in :21.828 seconds, a 99 speed index, to earn the top qualifying spot.

A homebred for Ted G. Abrams, Sr., Jessies First Down entered the race off a successful winter campaign at Hialeah Park where he won the $240,715 Hialeah Maturity and finished a close second in the $100,000 Sam Abbey Memorial Invitational Championship on March 1. Bred in Texas from the Mr Jess Perry mare Jess A Classy Lassy, Jessies First Down's record stands at (12) 2-6-1 with $117,397 in earnings.

“This horse loves to run,” said Abrams. “He finished so well and was a game winner tonight. We look forward to a great final.”

Sent off as the favorite in his trial, Jessies First Down paid $3.20 to win with multiple stakes winner The Lizzard King running second.

Rene Amaro's graded stakes winner The Lizzard King posted the second fastest time of :21.858 seconds, a 98 speed index. Conditioned by trainer Carlos Saldivar and ridden by Raul Ramirez, Jr., the 6-year-old son of Valiant Hero in the winner of nine of 23 career starts and has earned $186,174. Brett Mennen bred The Lizzard King from the Feature Mr Jess mare Jess A Lil Bit.

In the first trial stakes winner Pyro nipped Grade 2 winner Daytona B at the wire to earn the third fastest time of :21.893 seconds. Also trained by Padilla, jockey Luis Guerrero had the riding call aboard the Make It Anywhere 5-year-old out of Rare Kayoh, by Rare Form. A Texas homebred for Kathleen Matey, Pyro has won six of 20 starts and earned more than $141,000.

Last year, Pyro paid $39 for the win, but got more respect this year, and returned $9.

Entering the trials off a long campaign where he has won five of his last seven starts, Daytona B posted the fourth fastest time of :21.905 seconds. The First Down Dash gelding jumped out to an early lead under jockey Esgar Ramirez who looked like he as under instructions to not push the horse and save him for the April 18 final. Bielau Oaks bred the sorrel in Texas from the stakes winning Toast To Dash mare Dashing Pana.

In his last seven starts Daytona B won the $200,000 Bayer-Legend Challenge (G2) Championship, the the $100,000 Sam Abbey Memorial Invitational Championship, $40,680 Bayer-Legend Prairie Meadows Derby Challenge, and was third in the $204,715 Hialeah Park Maturity. He is is currently ranked fifth on the weekly AQHA/HorsePlayernow.com Top Ten Poll.

For the complete list of Bank of America Texas Challenge Championship qualifiers, times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.

Special Post Time Set for Saturday, April 4

Due to an exceptional number of nominations for the Sam Houston Futurity (G2), there will be 19 trials run on Saturday, April 4. As a result, Sam Houston Race Park has moved its evening post time to 2:00 p.m. The ten fastest 2-year-olds will advance to the final which will be run on Saturday, April 25.

The 2015 live American Quarter Horse meet will feature racing every Thursday and Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday at 6:00 p.m. The racing season will run through Sunday, May 16.

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Sam Houston Race Park is Houston’s premier racing and entertainment facility, located just 15 minutes from downtown Houston, and offers a variety of attractions including 16 recently renovated luxury suites overlooking the race track, The Pavilion Centre, and award-winning dining options at the Winner’s Circle Restaurant and Jockey Club. For more information on upcoming shows, events and tickets, please visit www.shrp.com.