PHOENIX, AZ—APRIL 12, 2015—Defending 2014 Bank of America Turf Paradise Challenge Championship winner Specials Gold posted a half-length win under mild urging from jockey Alejandro Luna on Sunday to set the fastest qualifying time for the 2015 Bank of America Turf Paradise Challenge Championship.

The 10 fastest qualifiers, from two trial races contested for Challenge Enrolled 3-Year-Olds & Up, will return to Turf Paradise on Sunday, April 26th and vie for the winner's share of a $60,000-added purse going 440 yards. Also at stake will be a starting spot in the November 7 Grade 1 $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship at Lone Star Park.

Saddled by trainer Heraclio Botello, Gilberto Jasso's Specials Gold completed his trial race in :21.617 seconds, a 98 speed index into an 11 mph headwind, to get the top mark. It was the 8th career win 31 starts for the 6-year-old son of Voughts Gold.

A.C. Taylor bred the gray gelding in Oklahoma from the Make It Anywhere mare Special Anywhere. The graded stakes winner has earned $163,259.

The royally bred Jess Secrets Br finished second in the first trial to Specials Gold to hold on to the second fastest time of :21.688 seconds. Orlando Guerero owns the 4-year-old by All American Futurity(G1) winner No Secrets Here out of the AQHA Racing Champion mare Stylish Jess Br, by Feature Mr Jess. Bred in California by Benny Rosset, Jess Secrets Br is trained by Ubaldo Guerrero and had Rodolfo Arvizu in the irons. The gelding is a stakes-placed earner of $16,992.

Fal Vegas, an Azoom 7-year-old, won the second trial but was disqualified for interference, moving French Fury into the third fastest time of :21.711, a 96 speed index. Also ridden by Arvizu, French Fury is trained by Guillermo Morales for owner Angel Villalobos. The multiple stakes-placed son of world champion sire Stoli has earned $73,280. Mercy Hinklin bred French Fury in Texas from the Streakin Six mare Streakin Jessie Gail.

After being placed fourth in the second trial and awarded the fourth time for that race, Fal Vegas still qualified to the final with the eighth best time.

For the complete list of Bank of America Turf Paradise qualifiers, their times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.

First Time Starter Favorite Reach Sets Top John Deere Juvenile Time

California-bred Favorite Reach drew clear by 1¾ lengths while making her career debut in the last of three trials for the John Deere Juvenile Challenge at Turf Paradise on Sunday. Ridden by jockey Rodolfo Arvizu, the filly by first crop sire Favorite Cartel posted the top mark of :18.255 seconds for the 350 yards.

The 10 fastest Challenged Enrolled two-year-olds who participated in Sunday's trials are set to return to Turf Paradise on Sunday, April 26th and vie for the winner's share of a $25,000-added purse going 350 yards. The winner will also earn a starting spot in the Grade 2 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship at Lone Star Park November 7.

A $5,500 Los Alamitos Equine Sale purchase for owner Peter Barajas, Favorite Reach is a half-sister to stakes-placed and multiple G1 finalist First To Reach. Bred by Steve Burns, DVM, her sire won the Bank of American Challenge Championship(G1) at Los Alamitos Race Course in 2011. She is from the A Classic Dash mare Classic Reach. Guillermo Morales is the trainer.

Seis Me, a royally bred Tres Seis daughter from Champion of Champions winner Cash For Kas, by First Down Dash, got her first win in the first trial for owners Jacob Simmons and Robin Aconite. The $10,500 Ruidoso Select Sale Yearling graduate is trained by Curt Ferguson and had Rick Oliver riding. Bred in Texas by E.D. Calvert, Seis Me posted the second fastest time of :18.370 seconds.

First crop sire Grade 1 winner One Sweet Jess got his second stakes qualifier of the day when Jm Splenda finished second in the second trial but held onto the sixth fastest time. Earlier on Turf Paradise's Sunday card El Chaca, a colt by One Sweet Jess, posted the fastest time for the Desert Classic Futurity (see related story).

Leading sire Pyc Paint Your Wagon was the only stallion with multiple qualifiers to the John Deere Juvenile getting 8th qualifier Paintthisroyalwagon and 10th qualifier The Big Wagon.

For the complete list of John Deere Turf Paradise Juvenile qualifiers, their times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.