Challenge


The Fiscal Cliff Takes Grade 1 Bank of America Challenge Championship
The Fiscal Cliff drives to victory in the Grade 1 $388,080 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) at Prairie Meadows Saturday night.

© Coady Photography
The Fiscal Cliff Takes Grade 1 Bank of America Challenge Championship

QUARTER RACING JOURNAL—OCTOBER 14, 2017—The Fiscal Cliff, a homebred son of Pyc Paint Your Wagon owned by Tom Lepic of Iowa City, Iowa, handled a sloppy and sealed track with skill, as the 4-year-old stallion sprinted to a one-length win in Saturday's $388,080 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) at Prairie Meadows.

Saddled by Kasey Willis, The Fiscal Cliff went 440 yards in :21.297 and earned a 109 speed index under jockey Benito Baca. In addition to banking the $203,280 winner's share of the purse, the stallion landed a berth in the December 16, $750,000 Champion of Champions (G1) at Los Alamitos Racecourse, the sport's richest and most prestigious race for older horses.

"He ran like he was supposed to," Willis said following the win. "This is my first grade 1, he's one of the best horses I've ever trained, plus, it caps off a great partnership with Tom Lepic."

AQHA President Ralph Seekins presents the winning connections of The Fiscal Cliff the Bank of America Challenge Championship stakes trophy Saturday night at Prairie Meadows. © Coady Photography
The Fiscal Cliff has won 13 of his 23 starts, including seven of 12 at Prairie Meadows, and he has earned $565,335. The stallion is out of Signs Zoomer, a winning Shazoom mare who was a finalist in the '08 Oklahoma Horsemen's Association Futurity (RG2) at Fair Meadows at Tulsa.

"This is a legitimate horse," Willis added.

The Fiscal Cliff has won eight stakes, including the 300-yard, $50,000 Bob Moore Memorial Stakes (G2) at Remington Park in April. Four of his stakes victories have come at Prairie Meadows.

Three Olives N Smoke, a 35-1 longshot, ran second and was followed by 4-5 favorite and defeating Bank of America Challenge Championship(G1) winner AJs High.

The Fiscal Cliff, under jockey Benito Baca, winning the Bank of America Challenge Championship(G1) Saturday at Prairie Meadows. © Coady Photography
Multiple stakes winner Three Olives N Smoke ran his best race of the season for owners Margo Schares and Bard Thomas. John D. Hammes conditions the Schares' homebred son of Jess Louisiana Blue from the Corona Cartel mare Smokin Corona. The $66,000 runner-up purse boosted the bay 4-year-olds earnings mark to $219,316. Cesar Gomez had the riding assignment.

Multiple Grade 1 winner Ajs High boosted his earning to nearly $825,000 after pocketing the $33,000 for third. Charlton Hunt saddled the son of leading sire Apollitical Jess for owner/breeder Michael Teel. Stormy Smith was aboard the 5-year-old gelding out of Regally Rare by Rare Form.

Sky Bo Dash, Fast Man Vic, Flash N Bling, Mr Pyc To You, Mals First Down, Air Force Won, Okeyfreight, Rockin Disco, and Sign Of Corona completed the field.

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From complete stories on the other Bank of America Challenge Championship races contested tonight at Prairie Meadows, the Adequan Derby Challenge Championship(G1), the Boehringer Ingelheim Distaff Challenge(G1), the AQHA Distance Challenge Championship(G1) and the John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship(G2), go to the Bank of America Challenge section on StallioneSearch.com or CLICK HERE.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHARacing on Twitter, watch the AQHA Racing Newscast and visit www.aqharacing.com.