Challenge


Mals First Down, Toughie Land Challenge Championship Berths
Evergreen Park hosted the Bank of America Grande Prairie Championship Challenge and the Merial Grande Prairie Distaff Challenge on Saturday's race card.

© Evergreen Park
Mals First Down, Toughie Land Challenge Championship Berths

Q-RACING JOURNAL—AUGUST 28, 2017—A sharp break from post 5 helped Mals First Down earn a wire-to-wire victory in Saturday's $27,901 Bank of America Grande Prairie Championship Challenge at Evergreen Park.

Ridden by Scott Sterr, Mals First Down covered 440 yards in :21.825 while defeating Honor The Aztec by a neck. William Leech prepped the 6-year-old Shazoom gelding for owners Charlie Weaselhead and Jim Plume.

Mals First Down was bred in Oklahoma by Bill Robbins. In addition to earning the $13,950 winner's share of the purse, the gelding landed a berth in the October 14, $330,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) at Prairie Meadows.

Mals First Down has won 10 of 31 starts and has banked $70,496.

Tom Kenway owns-and-train-s second place finisher Honor The Azetc by Honor The Perry. The 6-year-old gelding earned $7,488 for the effort.

Cruisinfourabruisin finished third for owners Barry and Janice Sather. Janice saddled the son of leading Canadian sire First Timber.

Go Jessin Beaver, Er Cafe, and Living Is Sweet completed the field.

Merial Grande Prairie Distaff Challenge

Charles G. Stojan's Toughie earned another Challenge Championship berth, as the 4-year-old daughter of Stel Corona dominated her competition in Saturday's $17,462 Merial Grande Prairie Distaff Challenge.

Ridden by Freddy Fuentes for trainer William Leech, Stojan went 400 yards in :19.715, and her winning margin was 1 1/4 lengths from Splashy Mamacita. The mare earned $9,080 and a starting spot in the October 14, $105,000 Merial Distaff Challenge Championship (G1) at Prairie Meadows.

Toughie was bred in California by Dr. Edward Allred and was acquired as a yearling by Stojan for $20,000 at the 2014 Los Alamitos Equine Sale. The mare has banked $152,976 from 15 starts, and her resume includes a third-place finish, a half of a length behind winner Jess Good Reason, in last year's 400-yard, $202,000 Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G3) at Los Alamitos.

Toughie's 11 wins include four stakes scores.

Janice Sather saddled runner-up Splashy Mamacita for herself and Barry Sather. The 5-year-old daughter of multiple stake sire Volcom earned $5,013 for the effort.

Northfork Sizzle, a 4-year-old Sizzlin Red Corona filly, finished third for owner Glenn Willis. William Leech saddled with Scott Sterr riding. Northfork Sizzle picked up $2,506.

,First Prize Sass, and Quad Seis completed the order of finish.