Challenge


Specials Gold Returns to Defend Turf Paradise Championship Challenge Title
Specials Gold will look to defend his title in Saturday's Bank of America Turf Paradise Championship Challenge.

© Coady Photography
Specials Gold Returns to Defend Turf Paradise Championship Challenge Title

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

PHOENIX, AZ—OCTOBER 2, 2014—Specials Gold, a 5-year-old gelding by the Shazoom stallion Voghts Gold owned by Gilberto Jasso, drew post 4 for the 440-yard, $68,220 Bank of America Turf Paradise Championship Challenge, one of two Challenge stakes scheduled for Saturday at Turf Paradise.

Specials Gold is trained by Jose Botello. The winner of this stakes last year, the gelding made his season debut with a half-length victory in the second of two trials on September 20. Luis Gutierrez Jr. will again ride Specials Gold in the final.

Other contenders include Ambush Alley, a 6-year-old Snowbound (TB) gelding owned and trained by Eloy Mendoza. Ambush Alley returns to the southwest region after he ran second, 1 1/2 lengths behind winner Chicks Special Angel, in the $54,000 Bank of America Emerald Downs Championship Challenge on August 31. Tanner Thedford will ride Ambush Alley from post 7 on Saturday.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments—

  1. Kingdom Regard (Michael Ybarra)
  2. Zoomdasher (Rodoflo Arvizu)
  3. Feeling The Jump (Albert Medrano)
  4. Specials Gold (Luis Gutierrez Jr.)
  5. Coronas Para Mi (Russell Vicchrilli)
  6. Downtown Richard (Emilio Tapia)
  7. Ambush Alley (Tanner Thedford)
  8. Bingo (J. Martin Bourdieu)
  9. Runaway Corky (Rick Oliver)
  10. Fort Bragg (Cesar DeAlba).

John Deere Turf Paradise Juvenile Challenge

Also on Saturday, a field of 10 2-year-olds, including fastest qualifier Smoke On The Water, has been entered back in the 350-yard, $32,130 John Deere Turf Paradise Juvenile Challenge.

A Kentucky-bred son of Spit Curl Jess, Smoke On The Water races for Norma Reyes, who acquired the gelding for $1,700 at last year’s Heritage Place Yearling Sale. Trained by Benito Guillen Vega, Smoke On The Water has earned $76,224 from six outs, and his four wins include victories in the June 21, 350-yard, Four Corners Futurity (G3) at SunRay Park, and the April 28, 300-yard AQRA President’s Spring Futurity at Turf Paradise.

Smoke On The Water is coming off of a half-length win as the odds-on choice in the second of two trials on September 20. David Reyes-Frisby will ride the gelding from post 10 in the final.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments—

  1. Flirtaciously (Russell Vicchrilli)
  2. Just Eagle (Roberto Valero)
  3. Jess Rockn (J. Martin Bourdieu)
  4. Jess One Looke (Tanner Thedford)
  5. Silver Teeny (Rodolfo Arvizu)
  6. Stel Worth It (Cesar DeAlba)
  7. Mister Payroll (Larry Gamez)
  8. Chicks Deville (Emilio Tapia)
  9. Stoli Form (Luis Gutierrez Jr.)
  10. Smoke On The Water (David Reyes-Frisby).

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    All Turf Paradise races can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.