Multiple stakes winner Viva Le Don will head a field of ix 870-yard specialists entered in Sunday’s $25,000-added AQHA Will Rogers Distance Challenge Stakes (G3) at Will Rogers Downs.

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CLAREMORE, OK—SEPTEMBER 30, 2021—Rockin J Running Horses’ Viva Le Don, a four-time stakes winner this year, heads a field of six 870-yard specialists entered in Sunday’s $25,000-added AQHA Will Rogers Distance Challenge Stakes (G3) at Will Rogers Downs.

A homebred 5-year-old Rock Solid Jess gelding trained by Tammy Johnson, Viva Le Don brings in a three-race win streak consisting of three stakes victories. Viva Le Don is coming off of a neck victory as the heavy favorite in the July 30, $54,000 Benny Pennington Memorial Stakes (R) for Texas-breds at Sam Houston Race Park.

Viva Le Don has won 10 of 20 starts, including four of six at the 870 trip, and he has earned $474,056. The gelding drew the rail post and will be ridden by Josh Romero.

Other contenders include Ms Esther, a multiple stakes winning 7-year-old Afrashad (TB) mare owned and trained by Jordan Baumann. Ms Esther has won 10 of 23 races at the 870-yard distance, and she is coming off of a clear 5 1/2-length victory in the July 6 AQHA Canterbury Park Distance Challenge Stakes.

Ms Esther drew post 4 and will be ridden by Andrew Samaniego.

Three other Bank of America Racing Challenge regional stakes will be run at Will Rogers Downs on Sunday, including the 400-yard, $25,000-added Q-Racing Video Will Rogers Distaff Challenge.

Lynnder 16, a 5-year-old Apollitical Jess mare trained by Jason Olmstead for owners Tom Maher and Richard L. Tobin, sports a three-race win streak that includes victories as the odds-on favorite in the July 6 Q-Racing Video Canterbury Park Distaff Challenge and August 28 Q-Racing Video Ruidoso Distaff Challenge.

Lynnder 16 has won seven of her 12 starts at the 400-yard distance. The mare drew post 5 and will be ridden by Edwin Escobedo.

Ten sophomores, headed by stakes winner JC Wild King, are entered in Sunday’s 400-yard, $30,000-added Adequan Will Rogers Derby Challenge.

JC Wild King is a homebred son of world champion Apollitical Jess racing for Jose Cervantes from the barn of trainer Fidencio Jimenez. The sorrel gelding has earned $31,004 from five outs this season, and his two wins include a half-length victory in the July 24, 350-yard Speedhorse Derby at Fair Meadows at Tulsa.

JC Wild King drew post 5 and will be ridden by James Flores.

Trainer Eddie D. Willis will send out two prime contenders in Sunday’s 350-yard, $30,000-added John Deere Will Rogers Juvenile Challenge for 2-year-olds.

Glacia Fagan’s Hes Resilient, a homebred Hes Relentless gelding, drew post 3 and will be ridden by Stormy Smith. Hes Resilient has earned $34,402 from seven races, and his record includes a second-place finish, a half of a length behind winner True, in the 350-yard, $137,000 Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity at Canterbury Park on August 11.

All Will Rogers Downs races can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.