Challenge


Sf Hot Pass Best Fastest Qualifier to Bank of America Sam Houston Championship Challenge
Sf Hot Pass battles Tlc Dale (center) to get the fastest qualifying time for the $50,000-added Bank of America Sam Houston Challenge Championship(G2 .

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Sf Hot Pass Best Fastest Qualifier to Bank of America Sam Houston Championship Challenge

HOUSTON, TX—APRIL 20, 2019—Multiple graded stakes winner Sf Hot Pass, who won four consecutive stakes races in 2018, started another win streak tonight at Sam Houston Park while posting the fastest qualifying time for the $50,000-added Bank of America Sam Houston Challenge Championship(G2) trials.

The 10 fastest qualifiers, from two trial races contested Saturday night, will return to Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday, May 11th to vie for the winner's share of the purse going 440 yards. Also up for grabs is a starting spot in the Grade 1 $250,00-est. Bank of America Challenge Championship to be contested October 26th at The Downs at Albuquerque.

Ridden by jockey Francisco Calderon, Sf Hot Pass defeated Tlc Dale by a neck while stopping the timer in :21.891 seconds, a 91 speed index into an 8 mph headwind, to get the top qualifying time.

Trainer Leon Bard, who saddled both trial winners, trains the 6-year-old son of multiple stakes sire Ivory James races for owner Shannon Fisher. The brown gelding won the TQHA Classic Stakes(RG2), Neville Stakes, Refrigerator Stakes(G1) and B.F. Phillips Jr Handicap(G3) in 2018.

P & J Racing LTD and D. Stroebel bred Sf Hot Pass in Texas from the Mr Jess Perry mare Passem Up Perry. He has compiled a (17) 7-2-0 record and banked $113,197.

Grade 3 Sam Houston Derby winner Tlc Dale was a game second to get the second fastest time of :21.928 seconds, a 90 speed index. Santiago Rojas, Jr. saddled the first of his four qualifiers to the Bank of America for owner/breeder Rogelio Guajardo Garza.

The 6-year-old son of champion sire The Louisiana Cartel was bred in Texas from the Okey Dokey Dale mare Halies Dale. He has won five of 22 starts and earned $186,877.

Grade 2 winner and multiple grade 1-placed This Is A Deal posted an easy one-length win in the opening trial to get the third fastest time of :21.967 seconds. Jockey Francisco Calderon had the riding call for Leon Bard.

A homebred racing for owner-breeder Pete Scarmardo, This Is A Deal Too is a 4-year-old son of multiple stakes sire Delagame from the graded stakes producing First Down Dash mare Lady Lila. The sorrel gelding has won six of 14 career starts and earned more than $206,000.

For a complete list of qualifiers, including times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.