Grade 1 winner Dance The Dust Off has been set as the 5-2 morning line favorite $30,000 Q-Racing Video Wyoming Downs Distance Challenge Stakes on Saturday at Wyoming Downs.

© Jack Coady Photography

By StallioneSearch

EVANSTON, WY—JULY 10, 2025—A competitive field of distance specialists will line up in Race 3 at Wyoming Downs on Saturday, July 12, for the $30,000 Q-Racing Video Wyoming Downs Distance Challenge Stakes.

The 870-yard final will highlight the day’s card at the Evanston oval, with first post set for 1:00 p.m. (MDT).

Topping the field as the 5-2 morning line favorite is the venerable veteran Grade 1 winning Dance The Dust Off. The 9-year-old gelding, bred in New Mexico by Sarah E. Donaldson Rioux, is by Coronas Blackdiamond out of the Thoroughbred mare Magic Yard by Ghazi.

Owned by Jewell L. Ramirez and trained by Tori Hadley, he will be ridden by Nakia Teeter. Dance The Dust Off boasts an impressive lifetime record of 35 starts with 14 wins and $234,547 earned. He was a $3,500 yearling purchase at the Heritage Place September Yearling Sale.

A standout at Wyoming Downs, he has won nine of 14 local starts and scored a big win in last summer’s Distance Challenge final. He comes into the final off a runner-up effort in his trial behind Baby I Du after finishing on the board in last year’s AQHA Distance Challenge Championship (G1) at Albuquerque. In 2022 he won the AQHA Distance Challenge Championship (G1) at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Next in line at 3-1 on the morning line is Baby I Du, a consistent 5-year-old gelding by Duponte out of Lil Baby Eagle by One Famous Eagle. Bred in Oklahoma by Flag Ranch LLC and purchased for $18,000 at Heritage Place, Baby I Du is owned by Daisy Carlson and Joe Goggins.

Trainer Jess R. Matt will give a leg up to Jacob Cardenas, who piloted the sorrel gelding to a sharp trial victory on June 28, where he took control early and won convincingly over Dance The Dust Off. With six wins from 24 career starts and more than $93,000 in the bank, Baby I Du looks to add another distance title to his record after a pair of good recent efforts at the 870-yard distance.

Jess No Secrets will break from post #4 as a solid contender at 7-2. The 6-year-old Colorado-bred gelding, owned and bred by Ross V. Alire, is trained by Rick E. Scudder and will be ridden by Jimmy R. Coates.

Sired by All American Futurity winner No Secrets Here and out of Jess Breeze by Feature Mr Jess, Jess No Secrets has been a reliable stakes performer at 870 yards, winning seven of 20 career starts and nearly $70,000. He dueled throughout to win his trial by a nose over Sassquach and comes into the final off an earlier victory in last fall’s Rocky Mountain Championship at Arapahoe Park.

The field sets up for a competitive Distance Challenge final, with Wyoming’s top long-distance Quarter Horses ready to contest for the winner’s share and a berth to the Grade 1 $115,000-est. Q-Racing Video Distance Challenge Championship later this season on AQHA Challenge Championship Night in Albuquerque.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 Would you like more industry news delivered directly to your inbox? Click here to sign up.