Challenge

Home > Challenge>Three Regional Challenge Berths on the Line Thursday at Horseshoe Indianapolis

Three Regional Challenge Berths on the Line Thursday at Horseshoe Indianapolis
Lisa Cunningham's HG Favorite Energy is the early favorite in Thursday's 350-yard, $43,197 John Deere Indianapolis Juvenile Challenge.

© Coady Photography
Three Regional Challenge Berths on the Line Thursday at Horseshoe Indianapolis

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

SHELBYVILLE, IN–SEPTEMBER 16, 2023-–Three regional Bank of America Challenge Championship berths will be on the line on Thursday at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

The winner of the regional stakes will earn berths in the October 21 Challenge Championships at Lone Star Park near Dallas.

A full field of 10 2-year-olds is entered in Thursday's 350-yard, $43,197 John Deere Indianapolis Juvenile Challenge.

Lisa Cunningham's HG Favorite Energy, the early favorite, is coming off of a third-place finish, 1 1/4 lengths behind winner Relentlessly Special, int he 300-yard, $148,000 Heartland Futurity at Horseshoe Indianapolis on August 12. A $54,000 purchase at last year's Heritage Place Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City, the gelded son of Favorite Cartel has earned $25,853 from three races.

HG Favorite Energy drew post 6 and will be ridden by Luz D. Martinez.

All Night Roc, a stakes winner during the recently concluded Arapahoe Park meet, heads a field of five sophomores entered in Thursday's 400-yard, $35,530 Adequan Indianapolis Derby Challenge.

Racing for Harvey Case and trainer Dean Frey, All Night Roc has banked $12,321 from three starts this season, and he scored a half-length victory against aged sprinters in the July 16, $18,000 Leo Beaudash Stakes at Arapahoe Park. All told, the homebred son of champion A Revenant has won five of eight races and has earned $86,135, and his stakes resume includes at third-place finish, one length behind winner One Perfect Lady, in last year's 400-yard, $426,000 Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park.

All Night Roc drew the rail post and will be ridden by Bryan Candanosa.

Eight fillies and mares, led by Milena Kwiecien's Eye Live For Candy, are entered in Thursday's 400-yard, $29,266 Q-Racing Video Indianapolis Distaff Challenge.

A 4-year-old Wyoming-bred daughter of A Revenant, Eye Live For Candy made her local debut with a second-place finish in a 350-yard, $34,000 overnight stakes on August 31. The mare has banked $22,362 from four races this season, and she scored a one-length victory as the odds-on choice in the August 16, 400-yard Princess Maturity for distaffers at Ajax Downs near Toronto.

Eye Live For Candy drew post 4 and will be ridden by Rolando Pina for trainer Jason Pascoe.

All Horseshoe Indianapolis races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.