THE AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE JOURNAL, AUGUST 26, 2010—Noel Balderas’s XO Kate, who was narrowly defeated by world champion Stolis Winner in her latest start, races in the $66,870 Bank of America Prairie Meadows Championship Challenge (G2) over 440 yards on Saturday night. The contest highlights two nights of Bank of America Challenge stakes at Prairie Meadows.

Also on Saturday night are the $30,000 Adequan Prairie Meadows Derby Challenge and the $27,270 Merial Prairie Meadows Distaff Challenge.



On Friday night, the $44,990 John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge takes the spotlight.



The winners of these races earn invitations to their respective championship stakes at Fair Grounds on November 19.



XO Kate (Stoli-Streakin Kate by Streakin Six) has been close to earning a trip to Fair Grounds and could get the job done Saturday night. Three starts ago, she was second by a nose in the Bank of America Delta Championship Challenge (G3). In her most recent start she was second by a neck in the Bank of America Sam Houston Championship Challenge (G1).



In the Bank of America Sam Houston Championship Challenge, she was dismissed at 10-1 odds, but stepped up to finish a game second behind world champion Stolis Winner.

The 5-year-old mare rebounded from a winless 2009 to race to a pair of wins and three second-place finishes from six 2010 starts for trainer Javier Contreras.

J. Garvan Kelly and Nancy Yearsley’s 7-year-old Value The Man (Heza Fast Man-Sheeza Lil Val by Dashing Val) has the past class to be dangerous and likes 440 yards. The gelding won the 2005 Los Alamitos Million Futurity (G1) and was second in the 2008 Los Alamitos Championship (G1).

In the Adequan Prairie Meadows Derby Challenge, Rose Chandler’s Acorn (Oak Tree Special-Trip Gal (TB) by Tasso) has also made the trip from Houston after recent success.

The Janet VanBebber-trained gelding comes off an impressive three-quarter-length score in the Sam Houston Derby (G2). He raced the 400 yards in a sharp :19.647 for his second win from two 2010 starts.



Regal Rockn (A Regal Choice-NN Rock N Effort by A Gallant Effort) won three futurities in Arizona last year and stepped up with a third-place finish in the John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2) at Los Alamitos.



Trainer Edward Ross Hardy is loaded for the Merial Prairie Meadows Distaff Challenge with four dangerous entrants, headed by Gary and Patricia Peterson’s Coeur D Alene (Stoli-Eye Opening Special by Mr Eye Opener).



Coeur D Alene makes her Prairie Meadows debut after a third-place finish in the Merial Sam Houston Distaff Challenge at 7-2 odds. She scored her most recent victory when she took an allowance race at Sam Houston Race Park on June 5.



The Hardy-trained Dasha Effort (Fishers Dash-Such An Easy Effort by Special Effort) is poised for a strong performance after two wins and a second in a Delta Downs stakes in her three latest starts. The Jumonville Farms-owned mare has finished in the top-two finishers in five of seven career starts.



On Friday night, Toni and Loyd Yother’s homebred A Plain Brown Rapper is the horse to beat in the John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge.



 A Plain Brown Rapper (A Regal Choice-Belles A Lady by Corona Cartel) pulled away to win his John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge trial by three-quarters of a length over second-fastest qualifier La Jolla Cowgirl (Heza Fast Dash-La Jolla CA by Streakin La Jolla). A Plain Brown Rapper was timed in :17.518, while La Jolla Cowgirl raced to a :17.635 time.



The William Harris-trained A Plain Brown Rapper showed stakes potential two starts ago when he rolled to a 3-length win in a $15,000 Prairie Meadows maiden race in :15.749 for the 300 yards.



Gregory Cullum’s La Jolla Cowgirl, trained by Frank Cooper, volleyed for the lead with A Plain Brown Rapper in their John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge trial, but was unable to stay with the winner. The filly is winless from three starts, with the John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge trial her best effort.

Martin Stacy’s Trickham (Royal Blue Chew Chew-Thisdimplesaniopener by Mr Eye Opener) has the class edge in the John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge after finishing a close second in the $58,000 Northlands Futurity. He held the lead and was caught at the wire to lose by a nose.

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