(Grand Prairie, Texas - Friday, September 28, 2018) - It wasn't a dead-heat that produced two winners from the first 100-yard qualifying round in the Gridiron Challenge Series here tonight. The cause was too many entrants, 18 total to be exact, therefore warranting the split into two races with nine each. The series has two more qualifying races before the final. The next is Friday, October 12, and the third on Friday, October 26. First and second place finishers of each qualifier will advance to the final, which is scheduled to be run on Friday, November 9.

The first was the seventh race on the 12-race program. Owner/trainer Janessa Lee Muniz' Papi Chulo Jm was first to the finish, covering the 100-yard distance in :6.598 seconds. The five-year-old stallion by Pappasito shook his head up and down in the gate as if to say "let's go, I'm ready," and ready he was. With jockey Jose Herbert aboard, he was first out of the gate and to the wire. A $2 bet on the winner returned $54.40. Poise N Courage finished a nose behind Papi Chulo Jm for the place. The pair earn automatic berths into the final.

The 11th race was the other half of the first in the 100-yard challenge series. Before the starter clicked the button, Bluemoonteller became restless and broke through her gate, but was quickly rushed around and back into position. When the gates opened, it was Dashing Sashay quickly away, scoring a one-length victory over the rest. Time for the 100-yard dash was :6.312 seconds, just barely one-hundredth of a second over the track record of :6.210.The three-year-old filly by One Dashing Eagle is trained by Adrian Huitron and was ridden by Victor Urieta, Jr. Dashing Sashay was the favorite, returning $3.40. She earned a speed index of 111 for the effort. Second place went to Alezzandro. The two will meet again in the final.

Live racing resumes tomorrow, Saturday, September 29 with a line-up of 12 races on the schedule. The featured 11th race is the 21st running of the $20,000 Nevill Stakes. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. First race post time 6:05 p.m.