Page 18 - 2020 Stallion Register

THE NEWS
The Quarter Horse Racing World Comes To New Mexico
Albuquerque Downs hosted the 27th Bank of America Challenge Championships.
The eyes of the Quarter Horse racing world were on New Mexico during the
week of October 23-26, as Albuquerque was the site of the annual American Quarter Horse Association Racing Conference and the 27th edition of the Bank of America Challenge Championships.
Held on Saturday, October 26, at Albuquer- que Downs, the Challenge Championships fea- tured 10 stakes races worth a total of $950,000 in purses, topped by the five graded Challenge Championship stakes. Shannon Fisher’s SF Hot Pass, a 6-year-old son of the Corona Cartel stallion Ivory James trained by Leon Bard, won the night’s richest race, the 440-yard, $266,250 Bank of America Challenge Championship- G1. Francisco Calderon rode the gelding, who earned $122,475 and a provisional berth in
the December 14, $600,000 Champion of Champions-G1 at Los Alamitos Racecourse near Los Angeles.
The other Challenge Championship stakes were won by Let There Be Sound (870-yard, $104,500 Cox Ranch Distance Challenge Championship-G1), Jay Number 7 (350- yard, $130,625 John Deere Juvenile Chal- lenge Championship-G2), Valiant Tiberias (400-yard, $154,750 Adequan Derby Chal- lenge Championship-G3), and Preyn Onthe Mountain (400-yard, $106,500 ARC Distaff Challenge Championship-G1).
Several registered New Mexico-breds com- peted on the Challenge Championships under- card -- Jess Like A Chick raced in the $35,000 Lobo Derby for 3-year-olds, Move Over Rover and First Down Action competed in the 870- yard, $30,000 Sandia Stakes, Noreason Fordia- monds and Kelly Call Me raced in the $30,000 Albuquerque Juvenile Stakes for 2-year-olds, and Cat Daddys Lil Girl finished second in the $35,000 Pitre GMC Distaff Stakes for fillies and mares.
Albuquerque Downs management reported attendance at 8,979. A total of $447,821 was wagered on the 10-race program, of which
$126,738 was bet on-track and $321,083 was wagered off-track.
This year’s Challenge Championships marked the first time since 1993 that the races were held in New Mexico. Next year’s Challenge Champi- onships will be held at Albuquerque Downs on October 24, 2020.
“We commend the people behind Albuquer- que Downs on their deep commitment to the sport of American Quarter Horse racing,” said AQHA chief racing officer Janet Van Bebber. “They have undertaken a significant task in reno- vating this historic racetrack, supporting integrity
measures, and making the Challenge Champion- ships a truly special event.”
The Bank of America Challenge Cham- pionships is the year-end culmination of the Challenge program, which was conceived by AQHA in the early 1990s to give top-flight Quarter Horses additional racing opportuni- ties. Regional races held throughout the world, including South America and Canada, during the year give horses qualifying berths to the Challenge Championships, which annually bring together those top horses for a single night of racing.
the winners of two races, one for Thoroughbreds and one for Quarter Horses. Jockey Roimes Chirinos rode the winners of three races.
The New Mexico Cup annually produces the richest state-bred day of racing in
North America.
New Mexico Cup 2019
The finest state-bred Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses competed during the 15th annual New Mexico Cup at Zia Park on October 27.
A New Mexico Cup record $2,102,545 in purses were paid for 12 races, eight for Thor-
oughbreds and four for Quarter Horses. A total of $712,918 was wagered, marking a 34-percent increase over the $531,685 bet on the 2018 New Mexico Cup program.
Trainer Todd Fincher won three of the Thor- oughbred stakes, while Jimmy Padgett saddled
16 New Mexico Horse Breeder
Coady Photography