GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—OCTOBER 1, 2016—Alejandra Carrion's Ec Cartel picked the right time to get his first win of the year. The 7-year-old son of Tinys First Corona rolled to a 1½-length win over heavy post-time favorite Fire On The Fly in the $27,090 Lone Star Distance Challenge Stakes Saturday night at Lone Star Park.

It was the first win in four starts this season for the multiple stakes winner but tonight's win also includes an invite to participate in the Grade 1 $125,000-Guaranteed AQHA Distance Challenge Championship on October 29th at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, California.

Donell Blake piloted the gelding over the 870-yard course in :45.816 seconds, a 95-speed index into a 5 mph crosswind. Leading trainer Judd Kearl saddled the bay to his eighth career win from 23 starts. The $13,274 winner's purse boosted his earnings total to $104,176.

Enrique Carrion bred Ec Cartel in Texas from the Zevi (TB) mare Twayna Too.

Multiple graded stakes winner Fire On The Fly, who has already snapped up two invites to the Distance Challenge Championship earlier this season, at Remington Park and Sam Houston Race Park, dueled early but was overtaken by the winner.

Tommy Bullard conditions the homebred for owner/breeder Bullard Farms. Ricky Ramirez was aboard the Jet Cartel 6-year-old out of Shades Of Pink (TB), by Fright Over (TB). The $5,689 runner-up check brings his earnings to more than $211,000. Fire On The Fly finished fourth in the 2014 Distance Challenge Championship(G1) at Prairie Meadows.

The Field Cricket, who won the 2014 Lone Star Distance Challenge, finished three-quarters back for third. Jerry Lee Yoakum had the riding call for trainer Jesse Yoakum. Owned by Claude Denson and bred by Mary Denson, the 8-yaer-old Lead The Field stakes winner has earned $171,473. He is out of the Royal Quick Dash mare Quick Lil Cricket.

Daring And Dashing, Cjs Rocksolid, Jess Twice Cash, Streakin Cartel and Jessa Little Rusty completed the field.