Flight Club and Top Shelf have joined Sizzling Wagon for a chance to compete in the Bank of America Challenge Championship for quarter horses in Indianapolis on October 22.
At the Regional (Canadian) championships on Sunday at The Horses At Evergreen Park at J.D.A. Raceway, Flight Club collected the biggest payday of the race meet ($28,540) beating out five other horses in the BOA Championship Challenge 440 yarder for three-year-olds and up.
A total purse of $57,081 was up for grabs with runner-up Rowdyvision taking $12,272 of that and third place finisher Getit Foose $6,278.
It was a good payday for Chuck Stojan, who owns both Flight Club and Getit Foose. J. Botello was on Flight Club and Ricardo Moreno on Getit Foose. Both horses are trained by William Leech.
Trainer Buckey Stockwell also had himself a good day.
He trains Top Shelf and Valiant Stevie B, which finished runner-up to Top Shelf in the BOA Adequan Derby, also over 440 yards, but for three-year-olds.
There was a purse of $46,325 in that race with $22,662 going to Top Shelf and $9,744 to Valiant Stevie B. Interes Fino, owned by Stojan and trained by Leech, took $4,985 for third.
Robert McCutheon owns Top Shelf and WT Ranches Valiant Stevie B. O. Hernandez was aboard Top Shelf, D. Benitez on Valiant Stevie B and Botello on Interes Fino.
Sizzling Wagon won the BOA John Deere Juvenile Challenge, and $24,350 of the $50,731 purse money, at J.D.A. Raceway on July 31.
In another interesting quarter horse race on Sunday, Appreciate, owned by Janice and Barry Sather of Beaverlodge and ridden by Alfredo Amador, won the Jerry Stojan Memorial Race, over 300 yards for maidens, taking $3,975 of the $7,500 purse.
Zillas Dusty was disqualified in that race for drifting, and making contact, almost the entire width of the race track from its No. 6 hole and it was determined that Jiffy Cruise, from the No 2 hole, wasn’t given a fair start and bettors were refunded.
Saturday’s feature race was the Marathon Series Stakes race over 1 1/16 miles. Rowdyrooster, owned by Cranky Acres Stables and Rick and Clayton Wiest, won that one taking home $4,770 of the $9,000 purse. Trevor Simpson, the leading jockey at The Horses At Evergreen Park with three weekends to go, was in the saddle and the horse is trained by Jim Depew.
Rowdy Rooster was claimed after the race and is now owned by Jack Bolin and trained by Clint Rycroft.
Racing continues August 13-14 with 1:15 p.m. post times both days. It is Memorial/Pioneer Weekend and many who have contributed to horse racing will be saluted at J.D.A. Raceway.
