Prairie Meadows: Rylees Boy rebounds to win Challenge Championship
Rylees Boy came barreling late to catch Llano Teller near the wire for a half-length win in Saturday night’s Grade 1, $353,500 Challenge Championship for Quarter Horses at Prairie Meadows. It was another nose back in third to Ethics Aside.
The Championship was the centerpiece of a $1.1 million card of 11 stakes that made up the 20th running of the Challenge Championships. There were five graded races on the program, and horses earned their spot in the gate for those stakes by winning regional qualifiers.
Rylees Boy ($8.40) had just a few beat in the early stages of the Championship before kicking into high gear and reeling in a loose-on-the-lead Llano Teller. Rylees Boy covered 440 yards on a track rated fast in 21.50 seconds. Ramon Sanchez was aboard for Lorena Rodriquez and trainer Paul Jones.
For the win, Rylees Boy earned a berth into the Grade 1, $750,000 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos on Dec. 15. The horse had shipped to Prairie Meadows from Los Alamitos, where in his last start he finished an uncharacteristic 10th in the Grade 1 Go Man Go Handicap on Sept. 23.
“For his last race he had trained like a million dollars,” said Jones. “He broke slow, was wiped out, had no chance.”
Rylees Boy earned $161,000 for his win Saturday. Last year, he missed by a neck in the Championship.
In other stakes, Fredaville ($4) rallied from eighth to win the Grade 1, $125,000 Distaff. She proved three-quarters of a length best after covering 400 yards in 19.98 seconds. G. R. Carter Jr. rode the winner for Robert Gentry and trainer Cody Joiner.
* All About Larry ($2.80) wired the field in the Grade 1, $125,000 Distance Championship at 870 yards, scoring by 5 1/4 lengths over De Passem Okey.
* Ultimate Wave ($4.60) dominated the Grade 2, $200,000 Derby Challenge, with a 1 3/4-length win over Mr Taka B.
* Heroes Heart ($7) was a three-quarter length winner of the Grade 2, $150,000 Juvenile Challenge.