BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

SHELBYVILLE, IN–OCTOBER19, 2022–On Wednesday at Horseshoe Indianapolis, the fields were drawn for the five Bank of America Challenge Championship stakes to be run at the track on Saturday.

First post time for the first race on the 11-race program is set for 6 p.m. (EDT). The Challenge Championship races will be run in consecutive order starting with the 870-yard, $107,878 Cox Ranch Distance Challenge Championship (G1) at 9:19 p.m.

This will mark the first year that the Challenge Championships have been contested at Horseshoe Indianapolis, which is located about 25 miles southeast of downtown Indianapolis in Shelbyville. It also marks the first time the Challenge Championships have been run east of the Mississippi River.

Following is a preview of all five Challenge Championship races in the order they will be run.

Cox Ranch Distance Challenge Championship (G1)

Eight distance specialists, headed by reigning AQHA distance champion Wascallywittlewabbit, are entered in the 870-yard, $107,878 Cox Ranch Distance Challenge Championship (G1).
 
A 7-year-old Heza Motor Scooter gelding trained by Mike Joiner for owner Rogers Farms, Wascallywittlewabbit won five of seven races and earned $184,013 during his championship campaign,which ended with a wire-to-wire, 2 3/4-length victory in the $104,000 Cox Ranch Distance Challenge Championship (G1) at Albuquerque Downs. This year, he has banked $98,259 from four outs, and he won both graded 870-yard stakes during the Remington Park spring meet, including the May 28 Remington Distance Championship Stakes (G1).

Wascallywittlewabbit drew post 5 and will be ridden by Benito Baca.

Austin Watterson's Cold Brewster drew post 8 and will be ridden by Jonathan Dominguez for trainer Durk Peery. A 5-year-old son of Im A Fancy Pyc, the gelding has won four of his last five races, and he is coming off of a two-length victory in the 870-yard, $25,000 Covered Bridges Stakes (G3) on a sloppy and sealed track at Prairie Meadows on September 17.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

1. Nicos First Cartel (Jansen Melancon), 5-1
2. Kaul Me Dashetta (Tyson Lusk), 30-1
3. Dance The Dust Off (Nakia Teeter), 8-1
4. Roc Starr (Jesus Valenzuela), 30-1
5. Wascallywittlewabbit (Benito Baca), 2-1
6. Shockinglyfamous (Cody Wainscott), 3-1
7. Hi High Hopes (Francisco Calderon), 7-2
8. Cold Brewster (Jonathan Dominguez), 4-1

Q-Racing Video Distaff Challenge Championship (G1)

Lynnder 16, a 6-year-old daughter of 2011 world champion Apollitical Jess racing for Tom Maher and Richard L. Tobin, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday's 400-yard, $109,877 Q-Racing Video Distaff Challenge Championship (G1).
 
Trained by Jason Olmstead, Lynnder 16 is coming off of a one-length victory in the October 2, $36,000 Q-Racing Video Will Rogers Distaff Challenge at Will Rogers Downs.

The mare has won three of five races and has banked $58,791 this year, and she began her campaign with a second-place finish, a half of a length behind winner and reigning AQHA champion aged mare Kiss Thru Fire, in the January 2, $100,000 Charger Bar Handicap (G1) at Los Alamitos.

Lynnder 16 drew post 8 and will be ridden by Edwin Escobedo.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

1. Jess Gimme A Kiss (Isidro Banuelos), 15-1
2. One Coldhearted Diva (Giovani Vazquez-Gomez), 12-1
3. Paradyce (James Flores), 10-1
4. Valiant Miss Priss (Cristian Esqueda), 3-1
5. Kiss Me Suzy (Sergio Dominguez), 9-2
6. Apollitical Mogul (Cody Smith), 5-1
7. Sin Sational Kisser (Francisco Calderon), 6-1
8. Lynnder 16 (Edwin Escobedo), 2-1
9. Dedikated (Erik Esqueda), 12-1

John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2)

Extermynator, a gelded son of champion Tres Seis racing for Gordon L. Timm, brings a four-race win streak into Saturday's 350-yard, $134,003 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2) for 2-year-olds.
 
Extermynator is trained by Randy Smith, Horseshoe Indianapolis' all-time leading Quarter Horse trainer, and the Texas-bred gelding has done all of his racing at the local track.

A $55,000 purchase from breeder Bobby D. Cox at last year's Heritage Place Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City, Extermynator has earned $117,298 from five starts, and his four wins include a three-quarter length victory in the 300-yard, $145,000 Heartland Futurity on July 23, and a neck win in the 350-yard, $49,000 John Deere Indianapolis Juvenile Challenge on September 22.

Extermynator drew post 7 and will be ridden by German Rodriguez.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

1. The Rev Rocker (Jesus Valenzuela), 12-1
2. Meet Me Out Back (Jesus Salazar), 5-1
3. Jettin Jetta (Luz D. Martinez), 6-1
4. Ms Flaming Finish (Giovani Vazquez-Gomez), 9-2
5. Lota Cruising (James Flores), 15-1
6. Beep Beep Rev Rev (Edwin Escobedo), 4-1
7. Extermynator (German Rodriguez), 10-1
8. Itz Goin Down (Erik Esqueda), 3-1
9. No Doubtt (Francisco Calderon), 15-1
10. Kool N Foxy (Daniel Torres), 9-2

Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G3)

Eleven sophomores -- headed by Pete Scarmardos Hes Jess Dealin, Bradbury Racing's Nothin Like You, and Alfredo Garza Rodriguez's B Leaving -- are entered in Saturday's 400-yard, $158,127 Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G3).
  Hes Jess Dealin ships in from Texas and is coming off of a third-place finish, 2 3/4 lengths behind winner Gulf Coast Flyer, in the 400-yard, $161,000 Retama Park Derby on July 30. However, the homebred Dealagame gelding won two of his three races during the Sam Houston Race Park meet, including the 400-yard, $91,000 Adequan Sam Houston Derby Challenge on June 16.

Hes Jess Dealin drew post 6 and will be ridden by Ali Rivera for trainer John Stinebaugh.

Nothin Like You is a homebred son of the Favorite Trick (TB) stallion Favorite Cartel trained by John Hammes. The gelding is coming off of a Prairie Meadows campaign during which he won four of his five outs, including the July 10, $103,000 Prairie Gold Derby, and the August 21, $43,000 Adequan Prairie Meadows Derby Challenge.

Nothin Like You drew post 4 and will be ridden by Stormy Smith.

Stinebaugh will also send out B Leaving, a gelded son of Valiant Hero who scored a three-quarter length win in the August 27, $59,000 Adequan Ruidoso Derby Challenge at Ruidoso Downs. Earlier this season, B Leaving ran second, a head behind winner Whizkey Glasses, in the May 28, $270,000 Heritage Place Derby (G2) at Remington Park.

B Leaving drew post 11 and will be ridden by Francisco Calderon.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

1. LS Jacks Back (Sergio Dominguez), 8-1
2. Valentino Pete (Cody Smith), 9-2
3. A Seperatist V (Isidro Banuelos), 20-1
4. Nothin Like You (Stormy Smith), 5-1
5. Lockedinthezone (Jesus Salazar), 15-1
6. Hes Jess Dealin (Ali Rivera), 5-1
7. Political Fire (Edwin Escobedo), 6-1
8. Jess Special Folly V (Jonathan Dominguez), 8-1
9. Tommie Eagle (Jorge Torres), 15-1
10. Prize Kiss (Luz D. Martinez), 20-1
11. B Leaving (Francisco Calderon), 5-2

Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1)

Saturday's main event, the 440-yard, $269,627 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1), is headed by the sport's reigning world champion, Danjer.
  Racing for Downtime Enterprises LLC, Billy G. Smith, and trainer Dean Frey, Danjer has won his last three starts, including the 440-yard, $250,000 Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship (G1) on May 28, and the 440-yard, $300,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship (G1) on September 25. All told, the 6-year-old FDD Dynasty gelding has won 18 of 30 starts -- including 14 of 20 at the classic 440-yard trip -- and he has earned $1,843,040, of which $1,511,188 has been banked from his quarter-mile races.

Danjer drew post 2 and will be ridden by Cody Smith.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

1. Apollitical Hero (Edwin Escobedo), 5-1
2. Danjer (Cody Smith), 6-5
3. Hez Our Money Secret (Cristian Esqueda), 8-1
4. Gias Fred (Rolando Pina), 20-1
5. DF Storm Tales (Nakia Teeter), 20-1
6. Purty Darn Quick (Stormy Smith), 10-1
7. Speed Dynasty (James Flores), 12-1
8. Dr Tool (Giovani Vazquez-Gomez), 12-1
9. His Time To Deal (Ali Rivera), 4-1
10. Fly The Coup (Juan D. Marquez), 15-1

All Horseshoe Indianapolis races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.