Fired is one of eight finalists in the $165,000-est. Adequan® Derby Challenge Championship (G3) on Saturday at the Downs at Albuquerque.

© Coady, Ltd

By Andrea Caudill

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–OCTOBER 25, 2024–One of the best things about the AQHA Racing Challenge is how it brings together horses from all over the world, and this year’s Adequan Derby Challenge Championship is an example of that.

AQHA Racing Challenge leading owner Jerry Stojan is supporting his family legacy as he brings a trailer load of contenders to Albuquerque for the AQHA Racing Challenge Championships. Among them are stablemates Pretty Sweet Jess and Fired, who both will contest the $165,000-est. Adequan® Derby Challenge Championship (G3).

Jerry and his wife, Sarah, operate a power sports dealership, selling things like ATVs and snowmobiles in Grand Prairie, Alberta. They also like to rodeo and rope in their free time, in addition to cultivating the racehorses originally brought to the family by Jerry’s dad, Charles.

Charles is himself a past Challenge leading owner, and will likely be eagerly awaiting word of how their horses perform in Albuquerque.

Pretty Sweet Jess is a Veronica Gail Kawananakoa-bred daughter of One Sweet Jess out of the First Down Dash mare Pretty Lethal. She comes into the race riding an eight-race win streak that goes back to the July 2023 John Deere Evergreen Juvenile Challenge, and also includes victory in the Canada Cup Futurity (G3), Horseman’s Derby, Century Mile Derby Challenge and Canada Cup Derby. She has earned $107,216 in her career.

Fired is a gelding by Fly Thru The Fire out of Ruths Chris by Separatist, making him a half brother to the Stojans’ successful Stripsteak ($118,239). An earner of $53,565, he won the All Canada Derby at Century Mile and was most recently second behind his stablemate in the Canada Cup Derby.

"Both were fairly economical purchases from the Los Alamitos Equine Sale, and both are fantastic horses," Stojan said.

Also set to enter the Derby gate is Terri Hurlbert’s Preyin And Dashin, who has lit the board in every one of her six starts this year. The filly is a full sister to Preyn Onthe Mountain, who won the 2019 Distaff Challenge Championship (G1) over a field that included the likes of Curls Happy Wagon ($360,674), who herself has a full sister, Curls Joyful Wagon, competing in this year’s Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge Championship. Both Preyin And Dashin and Preyn Onthe Mountain were bred by Dr. Steve Hurlbert, and are by Ivory James and out of the Panther Mountain mare Prey.

Others contesting the race are Texas representative Frankie Jr ($118,624), Northwest challenger Peregrino AF, Los Alamitos regional winner Foosea, and Midwest competitor Runnin Mann.

However, they all face the behemoth that is Mystic Paint, who is likely to be a favorite in the Adequan Derby Challenge Championship this year after a season that includes a second in The Marksman V’s Ruidoso Derby (G1). Owned by William F. Harned, the PYC Paint Your Wagon colt most recently won the Adequan Will Rogers Derby Challenge and brings to the race a record of five wins from 15 starts and earnings of $235,058.

"He’s had a very good year," said trainer Jason Olmstead. "He’s coming into this race the way I’d hope."