Challenge


Challenge Trials Dominate 13-Race Saturday Card at Prairie Meadows
Grade 1 winner AJs High is among the 14 aged sprinters entered in Saturday’s 440-yard Bank of America Prairie Meadows Championship Challenge (G2) trials.

© Coady Photography
Challenge Trials Dominate 13-Race Saturday Card at Prairie Meadows

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

ALTOONA, IA—AUGUST 31, 2017—Michael Teel’s AJs High, a Grade 1-winning homebred son of Apollitical Jess, is among the 14 aged sprinters entered in Saturday’s 440-yard Bank of America Prairie Meadows Championship Challenge (G2) trials at Prairie Meadows.

A 5-year-old gelding trained by Charlton Hunt, AJs High will be making his first start since June 3, when he finished third, 1 1/2 lengths behind winner Zoomin Effortlessly, in the 440-yard, $250,000 Remington Park Invitational Championship (G1). AJs High earned $387,029 from eight outs last season, and his five wins included the October 29, $354,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) at Los Alamitos.

AJs High drew post 2 and will be ridden by Stormy Smith in the first of two trials.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the September 16, $60,000-added Bank of America Prairie Meadows Championship Challenge final.

Also on Saturday, 22 3-year-olds have been entered in three 400-yard Adequan Prairie Meadows Derby Challenge trials. Kowboy Jim, a homebred son of champion Fdd Dynasty owned and trained by Dean Frey, brings a three-race win streak into the trials that includes a wire-to-wire, 1 1/4-length victory in the 400-yard, $81,000 Canterbury Park Derby on July 16.

Kowboy Jim drew the rail post and will be ridden by Berkley Packer in the third heat. The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the $27,500-added Adequan Prairie Meadows Derby Challenge final on September 16.

Saturday’s three sets of Challenge trials concludes with five 350-yard John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge trials. Bobby Elvis, a stakes-placed son of Valiant Hero trained by Jason Olmstead for owners Tom Maher, Bill Maher, and Paul Luedemann, is coming off of a Canterbury Park campaign during which the gelding ran second in the 350-yard, $18,000 Northlands Juvenile Invitational Stakes on July 2.

Brayan Velazquez will ride Bobby Elvis from post 7 in the fourth trial. The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the September 16, $37,000-added John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge final.

All Prairie Meadows races can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.