Challenge


Sf Hot Pass Wins Grade 1, $266,250 Bank Of America Challenge Championship
Sf Hot Pass, under jockey Francisco Calderon, wins the $266,250 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) at Albuquerque Downs.

© Coady Photography
Sf Hot Pass Wins Grade 1, $266,250 Bank Of America Challenge Championship

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—OCTOBER 26, 2019—SF Hot Pass, a 6-year-old Ivory James gelding owned by Shannon Fisher, held on at the wire to win Saturday’s 440-yard, $266,250 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) at Albuquerque Downs.

Ridden by Francisco Calderon for trainer Leon Bard and sent to post as the 2-1 second choice, SF Hot Pass made his quarter-mile trip in :21.607, and his margin of victory was a nose from 6-5 favorite Eye N Capo, who was clocked in :21.615.

The gelding banked the $122,475 winner’s share of the purse from his 10th win in 21 starts, and he scored a provisional berth in the December 14, $600,000 Champion of Champions (G1) at Los Alamitos Racecourse near Los Angeles.

The winning connections of SF Hot Pass accept the Bank of America Challenge Championship(G2) stakes trophy at Albuquerque Downs Saturday night. © Coady Photography
P & J Racing Ltd. and Stroebel bred SF Hot Pass in Texas from the Mr Jess Perry mare Passem Up Perry. The gelding was stretching out in distance off of his 1¼-length victory as the even-money favorite in the 350-yard Nevill Stakes (R) for Texas-breds at Lone Star Park near Dallas on October 4.

SF Hot Pass has won four of his eight races at the classic Quarter Horse distance of 440 yards. His career earnings total $275,699, of which $184,212 has been banked at the quarter-mile trip.

Jess My Kiss finished third, a nose behind runner-up Eye N Capo, and was followed by Pirate

SF Hot Pass (#4), Eye N Cap (#2) and Jess My Kiss (#6) in a blanket finish to the $266,250 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) at Albuquerque Downs.
© Coady Photography
Multiple graded winner Eye N Cap earned $53,250 for finishing second. Trainer Josue Ponce saddled the 5-year-old son of Capo de Capi for owner Ruben Garcia Montemayor. Dee and Betty Raper bred the $$595,173 earner in Oklahoma from the Mr Eye Opener mare Satisfeyen. Jesse Levario was riding.

Third-place finisher Jess My Kiss races for owner/breeders Mark and Peggy Brown. Jockey Ramon Sanchez rode the Idaho-bred son One Sweet Jess. The 4-year-old graded winner is out of Dreaming Kisses by Legendary Dreamer. He earned $26,625 for the effort to raise his earnings to $283,232.

Coves Hero, Stripsteak, Three Olives N Smoke, Kool Odds, Kas Tempting, For Sweet Jess, and Pyc Jess Bite Mydust completed the field.

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Albuquerque Downs Racetrack and Casino is located in the heart of Albuquerque at Expo New Mexico, the home of the New Mexico State Fair, and general admission and parking are always free (via the casino entrance on Louisiana and Central). For more information, visit abqdowns.com and click on the "Racing" link at the top of the homepage.