The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, October 29, 2009 – Veteran trainer Dwayne “Sleepy” Gilbreath is the consummate horseman; he has the dangerous Jodys Money Pop in the Bayer Legend Challenge Derby Championship (G1) over 400 yards at the Bank of America Challenge Championships on October 31 at Los Alamitos Race Course.
Jim Pitts’ Jodys Money Pop (Jody O Toole-Gotta Money Pop by Man In The Money) earned his spot in the Bayer Legend Derby Championship with a win in the Bayer Legend Texas Derby Challenge (G3) on July 11 and has been pointing to the Bayer Legend Challenge Derby Championship (G1) since that neck victory as the 22-10 favorite.
Jodys Money Pop has been consistent by finishing on the board in 10 of 11 starts with five wins. He won the $419,000 TQHA Sale Futurity (RG1) and was third in the $400,000 West Texas Futurity (G1).
Sammy and Johnny Martinez’s Call Me Tater (Shazoom-Wait Watch Her by Mr Eye Opener) takes a jump in class for the Bayer Legend Challenge Derby Championship after three wins and a close second in his latest four starts for trainer Sam Martinez. He won the Grade 3 Bayer Legend Oklahoma Derby Challenge at Blue Ribbon Downs in his latest start.
Reyes Salcedo’s Saturday Nite Fever (Check Him Out-Dashingatac by First Down Dash) qualified for the Bayer Legend Challenge Derby Championship with a mild upset win in the Bayer Legend California Derby Challenge at Los Alamitos. He won by a neck in :19.481 for 400 yards.
The $200,000 Bayer Legend Challenge Derby Championship is the eighth race on Saturday’s card. Following are the post positions and morning-line odds of the field:
1. Extraordinaress 10-1
2. Jodys Money Pop 4-1
3. Iona Corona 10-1
4. Skyline Lover 8-1
5. Lassie O Toole 4-1
6. Eyesa Dreamin 20-1
7. Call Me Tater 10-1
8. Saturday Nite Fever 9-5
9. Quattro 30-1
10. Lady Streakin Leader 15-1
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.