Terrific Energy Tapped as the Favorite in the $125,000 Merial Distaff Challenge Championship

October 29, 2009- Trainer Christopher O’Dell is a man of few words. He would clearly prefer to let his horses do the talking for him, and hopes that will be the case on Saturday night at Los Alamitos Race Course. O’Dell will saddle Terrific Energy, the 4-5 favorite in the $125,000 Merial Challenge Distaff Championship (G1). The 400-yard contest is the ninth race of the Bank of America Challenge Championships card on October 31.

O’Dell has been training Quarter Horses since 1982 and is based at Los Alamitos. He is best known for conditioning champion Catchmeinyourdreams, but Terrific Energy appears on the verge of greatness. 

Owned by the Parsons Family Trust of Penn Valley, California, the regally-bred filly by Mr Jess Perry out First Down Energy by First Down Dash is a Los Alamitos “horse for the course” and ran a huge race in the September 19 Mildred Vessels Handicap (G1). Eddie Garcia will guide her from post 3.

She is currently fifth in the AQHA Top 10 Quarter Horse Poll for 3-year-olds and up, and the victory in the Merial Distaff Challenge Championship could solidify her position as 2009 AQHA champion aged mare.

“She’s doing good,” said O’Dell at Wednesday’s post position draw. “Don’t know if she’s 4-5 good,” he quipped to morning-line odds maker Ed Burgart when asked for a comment.

AQHA Champion trainer Paul Jones has three fillies in his arsenal. One of them, Stylish Jess BR, owned by Benny Rosset of Brazil, scored in the August 21 Merial California Distaff Challenge (G3), in which Terrific Energy finished second.

“This filly is pretty quick too,” said Jones of Stylish Jess BR. “She beat Terrific Energy and I love that they drew side-by-side post positions.”

Strength In Numbers, a 6-year-old Strawfly Special mare also owned by Rosset, will break from post 5 and could be overlooked by the betting public.

“I really like her a lot,” said Jones. “She typically doesn’t break too well, but has a strong closing kick at the end.”

Strength In Numbers was second to Fighter On Fire in the August 22 Bank of America California Championship Championship Challege (G2) and is coming off a fifth in the Mildred Vessels.

The third of Jones’ starters in the Merial Distaff is Answer The Dream, an Oklahoma-bred daughter of Tres Seis who was badly beaten in the Mildred Vessels after earning her berth into the final with a score in the May 10 Oklahoma Distaff Challenge at Remington Park.

“She was tired,” explained Jones. “She ran some tough races this year and needed a rest. She’s training well and the outside post (9) is a good spot for her.”

The field in post position order with jockeys and morning-line odds, is: I Opening Sensation (Berkley Packer, 12-1); Tombstone Tina (William Ives, 30-1); Terrific Energy (Eddie Garcia, 4-5); Stylish Jess BR (Ramon Sanchez, 2-1); Strength In Numbers (Cesar DeAlba, 8-1); As Takin First (G. R. Carter Jr., 20-1); Starsmith (Carlos Huerta, 30-1); Panther Purr (Jimmy Dean Brooks, 30-1); Answer The Dream (Cody Jensen); and Baby La Jolla (Alejandro Luna, 10-1).

The Bank of America Racing Challenge began in 1993 and since that time has distributed more than $52 million to breeders and owners of racing American Quarter Horses. 2009 marks the 17th year of the program with 71 regional, championship and undercard races. There is $5 million in total purses and awards for 2009, thanks to corporate partners, host tracks, horsemen and the Bank of America Racing Challenge Purse Fund.

The Bank of America Racing Challenge was created to increase racing opportunities for older racing American Quarter Horses, but the benefit of nominating is often seen in the sale ring where Challenge-enrolled horses have historically brought more money. The Bank of America Racing Challenge is the richest and most successful program in American Quarter Horse racing today – a championship series developed for the “World’s Fastest Horse.”

The Bank of America Racing Challenge will culminate with the six Challenge Championship races and six undercard Challenge stakes races on Saturday, October 31, at Los Alamitos Race Course in Los Alamitos, California. To learn more about the Bank of America Racing Challenge, visit racing.aqha.com/racing/challenge/index.aspx.
By Martha Claussen