QUARTER RACING JOURNAL—OCTOBER 12, 2017—On Saturday, October 14, horses will line up to contest the 25th edition of the Bank of America Challenge Championships at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa.

The event’s history is sprinkled with many past champions, and it is possible that a new champion will perform at this event.

The Bank of America Challenge Championship offers regional, maiden and bonus Challenge races around the world, with the regional races culminating in a year-end matchup, the Challenge Championships. The program provides more racing opportunity for American Quarter Horses of all ages.

This year’s Championships begin with Race 6 on the Prairie Meadows card. The earlier, undercard races are all stakes, featuring top-quality horses and led by the $289,830 Valley Junction Futurity.

The first Challenge Championship race is the $105,000 AQHA Distance Challenge Championship (G1). In the race, last year’s winner, Rare Ed, returns to try for a consecutive win. The gelding races for Martin Marin of Phoenix, and enters the race off a victory in the August 20 Emerald Downs Distance Challenge.

The $105,000 Boehringer Ingelheim Distaff Challenge Championship (G1), features another 2016 winner looking for a repeat. Pete Scarmardo’s Time For Wine looks very tough, as she enters this race off a three-win streak. Most recently, she won the June 3 Junos Request Stakes (G2) at Remington Park; she qualified to this race with a victory in the May 14 Remington Distaff Challenge (G3).

In the $130,000 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2), a full field of 11 will line up. Reliance Ranches LLC’s homebred SC Vapor Trail hopes to follow in her mama’s footsteps – the filly’s mother won the 2010 edition of the Distaff Challenge Championship – as she enters the race with three wins in seven starts and earnings of $77,249. Her most recent start was a victory in the August 19 John Deere Los Alamitos Juvenile Challenge.

Ten sophomores will contest the $180,000 Adequan® Derby Challenge Championship (G3). Holding a home-court advantage is Rogelio Carbajal Santos’ Dauns First Desirio, a gelded son of Desirio who on September 16 crossed the wire first in the Derby regional challenge at Prairie Meadows, but was disqualified to third for interference. He will be joined in the gate by Faster Than Hasta, who was officially ruled the winner, and Kowboy Jim, who was moved up to second in the regional race. Dauns First Desirio on September 29 won his Altoona Derby trial by a dominant 1 ½ lengths in preparation for this start.

In the crowning race of the evening, Michael Teel’s homebred AJs High will make his fourth start in the Championships. He is the third horse of the night to attempt a consecutive win, with his coming in the $330,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1). He comes into the race after a 1 1/4-length victory in the Bank of America Prairie Meadows Championship Challenge (G2); earlier this year, he was third behind Zoomin Effortlessly and Jessies First Down in the Remington Park Invitational Championship (G1).

A free live feed of the races on Saturday will be provided at aqha.com.

Horses are listed in post-position order, with jockey.

AQHA Distance Challenge Championship (G1)

1. Trubador Dan (A. Triana Jr)
2. Juno Dat Timber (S. Smith)
3. Thespeedprofessor (M. Delgado)
4. Zoomin Racer (R. Ramirez)
5. Rare Ed (L. Gonzalez)
6. Rock A Billy (B. Baca)
7. CJs Rocksolid (O. Delgado)

Boehringer Ingelheim Distaff Challenge Championship (G1)

1. Bye Bye Birdy (S. Smith)
2. Honeymoon Candy (R. Ramirez)
3. Jr Rock Star (B. Velazquez)
4. Tic Tac Attack (N. Ramirez)
5. Time For Wine (J. Flores)
6. Ablurrforsure (R. Garcia)
7. Jess Paint Your Lips (J. Torres)
8. Blacks Cartel (R. Gutierrez)
9. Gone Fast (J. Samuels)

John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2)

1. Tempting Annee GL (M. Delgato)
2. Apollitical Approach (C. Gomez)
3. JD Wagon Boss (J. Rocha)
4. Syms TLC (G.R. Carter Jr.)
5. CM Boom Shakalaka (L. Gonzalez)
6. High Valley Girl (C. Esqueda)
7. Carneros (O. Delgado)
8. Feature Me Gorgeous (B. Baca)
9. Carris Cartel (S. Carrizales)
10. Vallerro (S. Smith)
11. SC Vapor Trail (R. Ramirez)

Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G3)

1. Eye Eye Captain (O. Reyes)
2. Faster Than Hasta (A. Triana Jr.)
3. Rock About It (B. Baca)
4. Kowboy Jim (O. Delgado)
5. Dauns First Desirio (C. Gomez)
6. Gustafame (R. Vallejo)
7. LS Prince (S. Smith)
8. Genuine Version (C. Esqueda)
9. Downside Embezzler (E. Bachicha Jr.)
10. JC Wild Rose (M. Delgado)

Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1)

1. Sky Bo Dash (R. Ramirez)
2. The Fiscal Cliff (B. Baca)
3. Three Olives N Smoke (C. Gomez)
4. Flash N Bling (G.R. Carter Jr.)
5. Mals First Down (J. Rocha)
6. Okeyfreight (A. Triana Jr.)
7. AJs High (S. Smith)
8. Air Force Won (R. Garcia)
9. Sign of Corona (O. Delgado)
10. Mr PYC To You (R. Aceves)
11. Fast Man Vic (C. Esqueda)
12. Rockin Disco (J. Pulido)

For bios on the horses entered the Challenge Championship's CLICK HERE.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHARacing on Twitter, watch the AQHA Racing Newscast and visit www.aqharacing.com.