Challenge


Charlies Fast Man Finally Gets Berth To John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship
Charlies Fast Man, under jockey Jaime Leos, winning the $15,000Regional Juvenile Challenge Stakes Saturday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

© Jake Rogers / Ruidoso Downs
Charlies Fast Man Finally Gets Berth To John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JULY 11, 2020—It may have taken five months but Charlies Fast Man earned a berth to the October 24th John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship(G2) by winning the $15,000 Regional Juvenile Challenge Stakes Saturday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

It all started March 1st when Charlies Fast Man finished second in his career debut to post the fourth fastest time for the John Deere Rillito Juvenile Challenge at Rillito Park. Before the Challenged enrolled 2-year-olds could participate in the March 21st final COVID-19 hit and the track's race meet was canceled. The 10 qualifiers spilt the $30,000 purse.

Flash forward nearly five months later and Ruidoso Downs agreed to write a $15,000 Regional Juvenile Challenge Stakes today, giving preference to those 10 Rillito Juvenile qualifiers. The top Rillito finisher in the race would receive the berth while the other Rillito participants will get preference for the Challenge undercard races in 2020.

Ridden by jockey Jaime Leos, Charlies Fast Man surged past Jess The Lady to break his maiden. The three-quarter length win was clocked in :17.793 seconds into a 5 mph crosswind, equaling an 87 speed index.

It was the first win four starts for the son of a leading second-crop sire Apollitical Blood who is owned by Jose Mendoza and trained by Eloy Navarro. Bred in Oklahoma by Marshall Watson, Charlies Fast Man earned $9,000 for his effort. Mendoza paid $23,000 for the colt a the September Heritage Place Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City.

Runner-up Jess The Lady was not eligible for the Rillito Juvenile Challenge but earned $3,000 for owner-breeder Bob McClure. Harvey Beaza trains the daughter of multiple stakes sire Valiant Hero from the Feature Mr Jess mare Jess Ballin The Jack. Paul Nieto was riding.

Blackwater Bengal finished three-quarters back to earn $1,500 for third. Also Rillito Challenge eligible, the son of Hez Our Secret races for Ferrari Racing Stables and is trained by Ricardo Saldana. Rodrigo Aceves rode the Mike Vaughan Oklahoma-bred out of Sting Scorpion Sting by Strawfly Special.

Completing the official order of finish were were Zooming For Kappie, Mister Hocks, Wagon Of Speed, Saint Icon, Avenger B, Oldtimehero and Run Away And Hide. Eye On Gabino was scratched.

Saint Icon went onto the inside rail after the finish-line.