Challenge


Challenge Winners Debut In AQHA Racing Poll
Challenge Championship winner SF Hot Pass debuted at #8 in the AQHA Racing Poll this week.

Challenge Winners Debut In AQHA Racing Poll

AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION—NOVEMBER 1, 2019—Winning the $266,250 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) on October 26 at The Downs at Albuquerque not only earned SF Hot Pass a provisional berth in the $600,000 Champion of Champions (G1) in December at Los Alamitos, but it also earned the previously unranked Ivory James gelding the No. 8 spot in the latest AQHA Racing National Poll for older horses.

Ridden by Francisco Calderon for trainer Leon Bard and owner Shannon Fisher, the Texas-bred SF Hot Pass prevailed by a nose in the richest – and closest – race during the Bank of America Challenge Championships as five horses hit the wire separated by less than a length. SF Hot Pass has won four of six starts this year, with stakes wins also coming at Lone Star Park and Retama Park.

Apocalyptical Jess, winner of the Ruidoso Derby (G1) in June, retained a slim lead at the top of the older-horse poll over No. 2 Rustys Miracle, winner of the All American Derby (G1) on Labor Day.

In the 2-year-poll, another Challenge Championships winner, Dustin Cox’s homebred Jay Number 7, made his debut at No. 10 after taking the $130,625 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2) with Jose Vega up for trainer Eddie Willis.

The rest of the juvenile rankings were mostly unchanged, with All American Futurity (G1) winner Mr Jess Jenkins again in the top spot.

The next set of polls is set to be released in mid-November. There will be plenty of stakes action for the voters to consider as Lone Star Park will present the Grade 1 Texas Classic Derby and Futurity and Los Alamitos will offer the Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity and Los Alamitos Super Derby.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND OLDER

1. APOCALYPTICAL JESS (78)
2 RUSTYS MIRACLE (74)
3. EAGLE COAST (58)
4. (tie) POLITICAL ATTRACTION (54)
4. (tie) POWERFUL FAVORITE (54)
6. BH LISAS BOY (51)
7. APOLLITICAL PENCE (26)
8. SF HOT PASS (22)
9. MI AMOR SECRETO (21)
11. CDS WINE N DINE (13)

KATIES EASY MOVES (9), HOT DAM BAM A LAM (7), DANJER (5), FLASH AND ROLL (5), JESS SAYING (4), VALIANT TIBERIAS (4), LD IS BACK (3), FLYING COWBOY 123 (2), HE LOOKS HOT (2), ZOOMIN FOR SPUDS (2), SYMBOL OF FAITH (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS

1. MR JESS JENKINS (87)
2. UNCLE D (79)
3. MISTER RIPTIDE (63)
4. TRUMP MY RECORD (57)
5. UPTOWNE BABE (55)
6. FERNWEH (47)
7. EC REVENGE (28)
8. DETERMINED ONE (14)
9. RUNAWAY SECOND DOWN (13)
10. JAY NUMBER 7 (9)

FLYING FAMOUS EAGLE (8), MR DILLARD (6), ONE FLYING DYNASTY (6), TF SHEZ JESS DASHIN (5), EXPEDYTE (3), HONKY TONK DADDY (3), PERRYS SECRET (3), STOMINADO (2), UP AND ATEM (2), COLBY JAMES (1), HH CJ SHAKE (1).

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The integrity of American Quarter Horse racing is of utmost importance to AQHA. As part of a multifaceted effort to ensure integrity, AQHA has instituted a policy concerning awards and publicity that makes horses with racing medication positives and horses trained by trainers with racing medication positives ineligible for the AQHA Racing National Polls. CLICK HERE to read the complete policy.

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