Lynnder 16, ridden by Ramiro Garcia, wins the $28,798 Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge [G3] at Will Rogers Downs on Sunday.

© Coady Photography

CLAREMORE, OK–SEPTEMBER 29, 2024–Defending champion and challenge race superstar Lynnder 16 had a battle on her hands but held on for the win in the $28,798 Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge [G3] at Will Rogers Downs on Sunday. The victory marks the fourth consecutive year she has won this particular leg of the challenge races.

Firing fourth from the gates, Lynnder 16 was surpassed by Paint Your Lips P but pulled into the lead at second call and kept it to the wire for the win by a neck. Ridden by Ramiro Garcia, the son of Apollitical Jess clocked an 89 speed index in 20.113 seconds with a 10mph crosswind. The heavy favorite's victory paid $2.40 to win on 1-9 odds.

Paint Your Lips P, ridden by Jimmy Brooks, had a strong finish for second, crossing the wire 1 1/4-lengths ahead of Lil Kool Jessie and rider Juan Pulido, who placed third.

The winning connections of Lynnder 16 accept the $60,962 Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge [G3] trophy at Will Rogers Downs on Sunday. © Coady Photography

The $14,111 winner's share of the purse increased Lynnder 16's earnings to over $908,000. The eight-year-old mare has lit the board 34 of 43 starts with 23 wins; 14 were in stakes competition.

Conditioned by leading trainer Jason Olmstead, this is her second stakes win this year, including the Prairie Meadows Distaff Challenge Stakes [G3] in August. Both 400-yard victories earned Lynnder 16 a berth into the Grade 1 Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge Championship at the Downs at Albuquerque during the Challenge Championship night on October 26.

James and Marilyn Helzer bred Lynnder 16 in Oklahoma out of the Corona Cartel mare Tinys Corona Queen. Owners Tom Maher and Richard Tobin purchased her for $31,000 in the 2017 Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale.

Trainer Kevin Willis saddled Paint Your Lips P for owner Pricilla Yvett Arredondo. The daughter of Jess Good Candy has three career wins with $202,391 in earnings, including the Black Gold 400 Lassies Futurity. Michael A. Pohl bred the five-year-old mare in Oklahoma out of the Jess Louisiana Blue mare Jess Paint Your Lips.

Owned by Joseph Byson, third-place finisher Lil Kool Jessie has earned $46,152 with three wins from 14 starts. Charles Sr and Cynthia Warren bred the four-year-old daughter of Lil Kool Wagon in Oklahoma out of Ok Blue Jessie by Jess Louisiana Blue. Guillermo Valdivia trained her.

O Seeyalater and Randy Vega placed fourth. Charm, ridden by Nakia Teeter, completed the order of finish for fifth. Kynetic and Two See Seas were scratched.