Jt True Grit, under jockey Roman Cruz, winning the $92,472 Will Rogers John Deere Juvenile Challenge Sunday afternoon at Will Rogers Downs,

© Coady Photography

CLAREMORE, OK–OCTOBER 1, 2023–Jt True Grit won the $92,472 Will Rogers John Deere Juvenile Challenge with authority, extending his early lead to over a length at the wire. The stake was the last of four regional Challenge Championship qualifiers on the Sunday afternoon card at Will Rogers.

Jt True Grit ($4.80) and jockey Roman Cruz covered the 350-yards in :17.394 and earned a 104 speed index.

The post-time favorite won his trial and was the fourth fastest qualifier from four trials on September 12.

Jt True Grit is a triple play for Jeffrey Tyer, who trains, owns and bred the gelding in Oklahoma. He is a son of Capo de Capi and is out of Redneck Kitty, by Country Chicks Man.

The winning connections of Jt True Grit accept the John Deere Will Rogers Juvenile Challenge stakes trophy.
© Coady Photography

In eight career starts, Jt True Grit has five wins and $99,577 in earnings, including $42,537 from Sunday. He finished third in the Speedhorse Futurity (G3) at Fair Meadows in July and qualified to the Oklahoma Futurity (G2) at Remington in March.

Jc Wild Queen made up ground late and was second by a length and a half at 35-1. Bryan Candanosa was in the irons for trainer Waylan Melton.

Jose Cervantes owns and bred JC Wild Queen in Oklahoma. The Apollitical Jess filly is out of the graded stakes placed mare Oh Cherokee Rose, by Stoli.

Jc Wild Queen was the seventh fastest qualifier and made her first stakes appearance in Sunday’s race. She is one for six with $35,075 earned to date.

Cartel Night and Nakia Teeter closed to finish third, a length ahead of the rest of the field.

The Five Bar Cartel filly was second in her trial as the fifth fastest qualifier. She qualified to the Beehive Futurity at Weber Downs in April and competed at Wyoming Downs during the summer before shipping to Will Rogers for the trial.

Cartel Night has only finished out of the money in one of her seven career starts and has earned $18,746. Clay Teeter trains the filly for owner Burke Teeter.

Dr. Richard Beck bred Cartel Night in California, out of the Strawfly Special mare Night Lines.

Completing the field were Ray Ray Soldier, Gabriel, Vintage Candy, Sticky Lou Who, Socially Fun, Shes Reagle and Lett It Be.