Kas Tempting (#3), under jockey Sergio Becerra, Jr., gets up over Sf Hot Pass in the $65,637 Bank of America Texas Championship Challenge (G2) at Sam Houston on Saturday night.

© Coady Photography

HOUSTON, TX—MAY 11, 2019—A full field of Challenge-nominated qualifiers competed in the $65,637 Bank of America Texas Championship Challenge (G2) at Sam Houston on Saturday night, but the race ended in a duel between fastest qualifier Sf Hot Pass and the winner, Kas Tempting.

Sergio Becerra, Jr. rode Kas Tempting to victory in 21.592 in the 440-yard event, earning a 98 speed index for the 4-year-old colt.

Kas Tempting ($33.60) was the seventh overall fastest qualifier from two trials held on April 20. He finished third in his trial with a time of 22.150.

Though he sat on the morning line with odds of 20-1, Kas Tempting had placed in multiple stakes prior to Saturday’s feature race. He had previously qualified for the Sam Houston Futurity (G2), Sam Houston Derby (G3), and the Firecracker Derby at Delta Downs.

The winning connections of Kas Tempting accept the Bank of America Sam Houston Championship Challenge stakes trophy on Saturday night. © Coady Photography

The Challenge qualifier was his first appearance in a Challenge series race, as well as his first stakes victory. He is now four for 13 lifetime, with $122,505 to date in career earnings.

The win also earned Kas Tempting a starting spot in the $250,000-est. Grade 1 Bank of America Challenge Championship to be contested October 26th on Bank of America Challenge Championship night at The Downs at Albuquerque.

Kas Tempting is trained by Josue Ponce for the Garza Laurel Partnership. He was bred in Texas by Francisco Javier Garza, by Tempting Dash and out of Beaukas, by Make it Anywhere.

Second-place finisher Sf Hot Pass was the fastest qualifier and post-time favorite to Saturday’s stake. The accomplished 6-year-old gelding is a multiple graded stakes winner whose seven career wins include the Refrigerator Stakes (G1) at Lone Star and the TQHA Classic Stakes (G2) at Retama.

Sf Hot Pass hails from the Leon Bard barn and was ridden by Francisco Calderon, the current leading jockey of the 2019 Sam Houston meet. He is owned by Shannon Fisher and was bred in Texas by P&J Racing and D. Stroebel. Sf Hot Pass is by Ivory James and is out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Passem Up Perry.

Sf Hot Pass’ stablemate This Is a Deal Too and jockey Nestor Duran completed the trifecta. This Is a Deal Too was the third fastest overall qualifier and won the trial in which Kas Tempting finished third.

This Is a Deal Too is a homebred for Pete Scarmardo, by Dealagame and out of the First Down Dash mare Lady Lilia. The 4-year-old gelding recently won the Lovington Stakes (G2) at Zia and has qualified for multiple graded stakes, including a third-place finish in the 2017 Ruidoso Futurity (G1) and a fourth-place finish in last year’s Texas Classic Derby (G1).

Completing the field were Financial Top, Thecartelofmiracle, Tic Dale, Eye Am Sizzlin, Favored One Sweet, Eos A Political Win and Tempting the Ladies.