Challenge


Challenge Tripleheader Tops Prairie Meadows Weekend Action
AJs High is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the Bank of America Prairie Meadows Championship Challenge.

© Coady Photography
Challenge Tripleheader Tops Prairie Meadows Weekend Action

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

ALTOONA, IA—SEPTEMBER 14, 2017—Three regional Challenge stakes, led by the 440-yard, $70,740 Bank of America Prairie Meadows Championship Challenge Stakes (G2), headline Saturday’s eight-race program at Prairie Meadows.

Michael C. Teel’s AJs High, a homebred 5-year-old Apollitical Jess gelding trained by Charlton Hunt, is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the Bank of America Prairie Meadows Championship Challenge. AJs High has won 13 of 24 starts, including six of 10 at Prairie Meadows, and has banked $756,852.

AJs High’s 2016 campaign included a head victory in the 440-yard, $354,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) at Los Alamitos. The gelding drew post 7 and will be ridden by Stormy Smith.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

  1. Eagles Span (Brayan Velazquez), 10-1
  2. Fowl Play (Cristian Esqueda), 10-1
  3. Woop Dee Doo (Alonso Rivera), 8-1
  4. Okeyfreight (Alfredo Triana Jr.), 12-1
  5. The Fiscal Cliff (Benito Baca), 7-2
  6. Boogies Special Dash (Jorge Torres), 8-1
  7. AJs High (Stormy Smith), 9-5
  8. Three Olives N Smoke (Ramiro H. Garcia), 12-1
  9. Watch My Wallet Loto (David Pinon), 15-1
  10. Tip It Bac (Juan Pulido), 20-1.

John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge

Fastest qualifier Vallerro is one of 10 2-year-olds entered back in Saturday’s 350-yard, $63,720 John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge Stakes.

Trained by John Hammes for owner George Seward, Vallerro is coming off of a one-length victory in the third of five trials on September 2. The homebred gelding drew post 7 and will be ridden by Stormy Smith.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

  1. Painted Dynasty (Brayan Velazquez), 12-1
  2. The Fiscal Storm (Benito Baca), 6-1
  3. Pyc Bala (Raul Gutierrez), 15-1
  4. Rusty Rose II (Jorge Torres), 6-1
  5. Jjsir James (Justine Klaiber), 5-1
  6. Little Kool Corona (Ramiro H. Garcia), 12-1
  7. Vallerro (Stormy Smith), 7-2
  8. Fast Prize Penelope (Oscar Delgado), 10-1
  9. High Valley Girl (Cristian Esqueda), 10-1
  10. Peves Candy Man Dan (Cesar Gomez), 8-1.

Adequan Prairie Meadows Derby Challenge

Kowboy Jim, a homebred son of champion FDD Dynasty owned and trained by Dean Frey, drew post 3 for Saturday’s 400-yard, $46,170 Adequan Prairie Meadows Derby Challenge Stakes.

Kowboy Jim is coming off of a Canterbury Park summer campaign during which the California-bred gelding won all three of his outs, including the 400-yard, $81,000 Canterbury Park Derby on July 16. Kowboy Jim will be ridden by Oscar Delgado.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

  1. Dauns First Desirio (Cesar Gomez), 7-2
  2. Sassy Irish Lassie (Ramiro H. Garcia), 10-1
  3. Kowboy Jim (Oscar Delgado), 6-1
  4. Bp Painted Valentine (Jorge Torres), 8-1
  5. Nsm Skydancer (Stormy Smith), 12-1
  6. Faster Than Hasta (Alfredo Triana Jr.), 8-1
  7. Write Your Story (Cristian Esqueda), 15-1
  8. Corona Springs (Brayan Velazquez), 6-1
  9. Putinical (Juan Pulido), 20-1
  10. Attack The Wind (Benito Baca), 9-2.

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