SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GIRLS IN DISTAFF  

The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, October 29, 2009 – Three of the hottest southern California females are the horses to beat in the $125,000 Merial Challenge Distaff Challenge (G1) at 400 yards during the Bank of America Challenge Championships on October 31 at Los Alamitos Race Course.

The females with the home-track advantage are Terrific Energy and the Paul Jones-trained pair of Stylish Jess BR and Answer The Dream.

The Parsons Family Trust-owned Terrific Energy (Mr Jess Perry-First Down Energy by First Down Dash) is well-positioned to earn the 2009 champion aged mare title. The Chris O’Dell-trained mare has Grade 1 wins in the January 3 Charger Bar Handicap and the September 19Mildred Vessels Handicap, the top-two races for distaffers at Los Alamitos. She comes off an impressive 1-length tally in the Mildred Vessels when she rolled with an impressive :19.286 time for the 400 yards.

Benny Rosset’s Stylish Jess BR (Feature Mr Jess-Stylish Secret by Dash For Cash) defeated Terrific Energy in the Merial California Distaff Challenge (G3) as the 11-10 favorite and would boost her championship credentials with a win Saturday night. The 4-year-old has lined up against the best older males this year; the Merial California Distaff Challenge is her sole start against strictly female company in her latest eight.

Answer The Dream (Tres Seis-Three Dee Dreams by Heza Fast Man) had a productive spring at Remington Park, with back-to-back stakes wins in the May 10 Merial Oklahoma Distaff Challenge and the May 30 Juno Request Stakes (G3). After a summer layoff, she came back to finish a non-threatening ninth in the Mildred Vessels at Los Alamitos, but figures to improve off that race.

Answer The Dream, a homebred racing for J. Garvan Kelly, Nancy Yearsley and J. Lloyd Yother, enjoys 400 yards with eight on-the-board finishes from 13 400-yard starts.

The $125,000 Merial Challenge Distaff Challenge is scheduled as the ninth race on Saturday’s card. Following are the post positions and morning-line odds of the field:

1. I Opening Sensation 12-1
2. Tombstone Tina 30-1
3. Terrific Energy 4-5
4. Stylish Jess BR 2-1
5. Strength In Numbers 8-1
6. As Takin First 20-1
7. Starsmith 30-1
8. Panther Purr 30-1
9. Answer The Dream 15-1
10. Baby La Jolla 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 17^th 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.