Purpose John Deere Bonus Challenge races (formerly Bank of America Supplemental Stakes) are designed to provide racing opportunities to Challenge participants at racetracks across the country that do not host regional qualifying races for the Bank of America Racing Challenge program.  Program Timeline  An application process will be used each year to choose the participating racetracks.  Host track selections will be made final by the American Quarter Horse Association Racing Council.  Funding   $100,000 will be available to the John Deere Bonus Challenge program.  AQHA will match up to $10,000 of added money to an existing or new stakes race at participating tracks.  (Example:  If ten tracks agree to match $10,000, then there could be ten John Deere Bonus Challenge races; if 20 tracks all bid $5,000, then there could be 20 supplemental stakes carded.)  Final determinations will be made by the AQHA Racing Council.    Eligible Races  Any current overnight stakes for 3-year-olds and older that do not require multiple payments and trials to qualify.   A new overnight stakes for 3-year-olds and older that do not require multiple payments and trials to qualify. A handicap.  Enrollment in the Bank of America Racing Challenge is required for entry to all John Deere Bonus Challenge races. All races must have a minimum of five entries to be run.  If there is not a minimum of five horses, John Deere Bonus Challenge purse funds will be held by AQHA and redistributed in the next calendar year through the John Deere Bonus Challenge fund.  The final decision and preference system for individual races will be made by the host track facility and the AQHA Racing Council representative of the Bank of America Racing Challenge.  Rules and Regulations  Races will be run under rules set forth by each jurisdiction in which a John Deere Bonus Challenge race is run.  Any rules infraction or disqualification arising out of an individual Bonus Challenge race will be handled by the jurisdiction in which the race is held in.  Any questions or disputes arising over the eligibility of a Challenge-enrolled horse will be handled by the AQHA Racing Council’s representative of the Bank of America Racing Challenge.    Challenge Championships  John Deere Bonus Challenge races do not carry berths to any of the six Bank of America Challenge Championship races. Horses may still qualify for undercard race purposes based on the Bank of America Challenge Championship undercard preference system. (Please consult the Bank America Challenge Condition Book for preference system.) Click here for a complete list of John Deere Bonus Challenge races, including conditions and track contact information. Click here for a printable 2008 John Deere Bonus Challenge mini-schedule.

2008 JOHN DEERE BONUS CHALLENGE SCHEDULE Click here for a printable mini-schedule. Rillito Park Challenge Shootout February 8 - Rillito Park  Cherokee Challenge Stakes March 21 - Will Rogers Downs Portland Meadows John Deere Bonus Challenge March 23 - Portland Meadows Ft. Pierre Challenge April 11 - Ft. Pierre Racetrack Lethbridge John Deere Bonus Challenge May 3 - Whoop-up Downs Dayton Days Challenge Handicap May 23 - Dayton Days Indiana Downs Classic May 23 - Indiana Downs Laurel Brown John Deere Bonus Challenge May 30 - Laurel Brown Racetrack Marquis Downs Fillies & Mares Challenge June 13 - Marquis Downs Jerome John Deere Bonus Challenge June 21 - Jerome Fairgounds Marquis Downs Final June 27 - Marquis Downs Grants Pass John Deere Bonus Challenge June 27 - Grants Pass Downs Don Boyd Handicap July 5 - Mt. Pleasant Meadows Hill Country Dash Stakes July 5 - Gillespie County Fair Jack Rhoden Memorial July 11 - Crooked River Roundup Rupert Downs John Deere Bonus Challenge Allowance  July 11 - Rupert Downs John Deere Lexington Challenge Sprint Stakes July 17 - The Red Mile Idaho Falls John Deere Bonus Challenge July 25 - Sandy Downs Midwest Maturity August 2 - Mt. Pleasant Meadows Yavapai Claiming Challenge August 9 - Yavapai Downs Queen City Dash August 18 - River Downs North Dakota Handicap August 21 - North Dakota Horse Park Ely John Deere Bonus Challenge August 22 - White Pine Raceway White Pine John Deere Bonus Challenge August 23 - White Pine Raceway Enerpan Stakes August 23 - Northlands Park Yellowstone Downs Challenge Handicap August 30 - Yellowstone Downs Elko County Challenge September 5 - Elko County Fair Marquis Downs Classic September 5 - Marquis Downs Bradford Stakes October 18 - Hoosier Park