Curls Joyful Wagon, ridden by Ali Rivera, wins the $39,644 Cox Ranch Lone Star Distaff Challenge on Saturday at Lone Star Park.

© Dustin Orona Photography

GRANDE PRAIRIE, TX–SEPTEMBER 28, 2024–Heavy favorite and fastest qualifier from the trials, Curls Joyful Wagon, celebrates her first stakes victory in the $39,644 Cox Ranch Lone Star Distaff Challenge on Saturday at Lone Star Park.

Curls Joyful Wagon's 400-yard victory secures a berth into the Grade 1 Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge Championship during Challenge Championship night at the Downs at Albuquerque on October 26.

Jockey Ali Rivera got the leg up aboard Curls Joyful Wagon for their third consecutive win this season.  The duo won an Allowance at Remington Park, then their trial heat to the Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge, where they clocked the fastest qualifying time.

Returning to the finals, Curls Joyful Wagon broke fourth from the gates, taking the lead at first call. She kept to task and crossed the wire a half-length ahead of stablemate First Time For Wine and jockey Edwin Escobedo, clocking a 97-speed index in 19.618 seconds. Miracle B Knockout, ridden by Nestor Duran, followed in for third. The winning effort paid $4.60 on 4-1 odds.

The winning connections of Curls Joyful Wagon accept the $39,644 Cox Ranch Lone Star Distaff Challenge trophy at Lone Star Park on Saturday. © Dustin Orona Photography

Curls Joyful Wagon has been a finalist in several significant Grade 1 stakes races from her previous campaign years, including the All American Futurity, Rainbow Futurity, Texas Classic Futurity and All American Oaks. She placed second in the Junos Request Stakes [G1] and was a finalist in the Decketta Stakes [G2] this season.

Tonight's $18,236 payday boosted Curls Joyful Wagon's career earnings to $336,781 and improved her win total to seven. Trainer John Stinebaugh saddled the daughter of Pyc Paint Your Wagon for owner-breeder Martin Stacy of Oklahoma. She is out of Eye A Spit Curl Girl by Spit Curl Jess.

Stinebaugh also trains runner-up First Time For Wine for owner-breeder Pete Scarmardo. First Moonflash's stake-winning daughter has lit the board 15 of 20 starts with four wins and earned $122,788.

First Time For Wine won the Miss Sam Houston Stakes, placed second in the Miss Retama Stakes and third in the Easy Date Stakes [G2] this season. Her dam is Time For Wine by Mr Jess Perry.

Five Puig Racing, LLC bred third-place finisher Miracle B Knockout in Oklahoma out of the Apollitical Jess mare The Only Knockout. Juan Diaz Jr trains the stakes-winning daughter of Freighttrain B for owner Ruse Ranch, LLC. She has a pair of wins with over $110,000 in the bank.

Jess Kissing Beau, Vytaliti, One Sweet Ambition, Trixiee, Dm Bella Star, Boks Dream Catcher, and Tiffany Twistedd. Bossa Neauva was scratched.

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About Lone Star Park
Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie is a major league sports entertainment attraction that features two exciting racing seasons annually. Over 700,000 guests visit our beautiful facility each year, which features a seven-level glass-enclosed Grandstand, highlighted by our 1,200-seat Silks Dining Room and 48 luxurious Penthouse Suites, all overlooking the newest race track in Texas. Situated next to our Grandstand is the 36,000-square-foot world-class Las Vegas-style racebook and simulcast facility, Bar & Book, which features wagering on horse racing from around the world seven days a week year.

The 2024 Fall Meeting of Champions, featuring American Quarter Horses, runs September 6 through November 16. There will be live racing on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. (CT); the first post is at 6:05 p.m. Breeders' Cup Saturday, November 5. Gates open at 10:30 a.m., and the first live race is at 6:05 p.m.