RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—AUGUST 1, 2015—Hay Racing’s Queen Catherine won the shake for the 10th and final qualifying spot and made the most of her opportunity with a convincing victory over a muddy track in the Grade 3, $71,730 John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge on Saturday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

It was Pink Day to raise money for breast cancer awareness. All the jockeys wore pink and there were numerous opportunities for people to donate to help increase breast cancer awareness in the Ruidoso area.

The John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge win earns Queen Catherine a starting spot in the Grade 2, $150,000 John Deere Challenge Championship at Lone Star Park on November 7.

Queen Catherine was sent off at 17-1 odds and came through with the win in :17.572 for the 350 yards. Cesar Gomez was aboard for the victory.

Trained by Kasey Willis, Queen Catherine raced with the leaders and then played with them when she pulled out for the one-half length win that showed she may be ready for a higher level of competition.

Favored Abel Dasher was second and it was one length back to third-place finisher My Streakin La Jolla.

Queen Catherine, a daughter of leading first crop sire of money earners Freighttrain B, was overlooked in the wagering after finishing second in her trial and having to shake for the final qualifying spot. Her only other career win came in her career debut. She won her Oklahoma Futurity trial and then was seventh as the 3-1 favorite in the $50,000 Oklahoma Futurity Invitational.

Gary Vaughn bred the sorrel filly in Oklahoma from the Agouti mare Ms Casholene. The $32,996 winner's purse boosted her career total to $42,768.

James Sills and Abelardo Flores’ homebred Js Abel Dasher was the 5-2 choice after finishing a close second in the FL Lady Bug Stakes for Oklahoma-breds at Remington Park and then taking her John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge trial by three quarters of a length in her Ruidoso Downs debut. The Eddie Willis-trained daughter of The Louisiana Cartel was the second-fastest qualifier with a :17.944 mark.

An Oklahoma-homebred, Js Abel Dash is out of the Dash Is Easy mare Shaken Easy Dash. She earned $14,436 to bring her career total to $48,529.

Melvin Neugebauer’s My Streakin La Jolla suffered his first defeat after winning his first two starts. The Wes Giles-trained son of Tempting Dash won his maiden and then dominated his John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge trial by one-and-one-half lengths. He was the eighth-fastest qualifier with an :18.055 time.

Zule Farms, LLC bred the sorrel gelding in Colorado from the Streakin La Jolla mare Prissy La Jolla. Ridden by Adrian Ramos, My Streakin La Jolla earned $7,173 to double his earnings mark to $14,133.

Completing the field were Takoradi, Finnick, Stop The Commotion, Queen Arabella, Lady Perry On Fire and Get Down Earlene. Eos Coronas N Chicks was scratched.

For complete Ruidoso Downs’ information, go to www.raceruidoso.com, visit the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino Facebook page and follow the Ruidoso Press Box (@RuiPressBox) on Twitter.