Challenge


Field Set For July 29, $52,000-Est. AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge
Zoomin Racer, under jockey Jansen Melancon, posted the fastest qualifying time for the AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge Stakes following a 12-length win the first of two trials.

© Coady Photography
Field Set For July 29, $52,000-Est. AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—JULY 13, 2018—Zoomin Racer, a 5-year-old gelding owned and trained by Jesus J. Carrete of Albuquerque, is the fastest qualifier to the July 29, $52,000-est. AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge Stakes.

Ridden by Jansen Melancon and sent to post as the 4-5 favorite, Zoomin Racer won the first of two 870-yards by two lengths from third-fastest qualifier Let There Be Sound in :44.233. The Grade 1 winning Texas-bred gelding was posting his seventh win in 19 races and pushing his lifetime earnings to $136,582.

Zoomin Racer was bred by Jerry Windham of College Station, Texas. The Jess Zomin gelding from the Runaway Winner mare Racing Runaway, was making his first start since June 2, when he ran second in the 870-yard, $50,000 Remington Distance Championship (G2) at Remington Park in Oklahoma City.

He is the defending AQHA Distance Challenge Championship winner, after taking the 2017 Grade 1 $105,00 final at Prairie Meadows by 2-¾ lengths.

Ben Peterson’s Mahoney N Tacklebery, the second-fastest qualifier, won the second trial by three-quarters of a length in :44.532. Isaias Enriquez rode the homebred 4-year-old Favorite Cartel gelding for trainer Todd Fincher.

Other prominent finalists include Rock A Billy, a 5-year-old gelding trained by Tammy Johnson for Rockin J Running Horses. Rock A Billy has won two stakes, including last year’s AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge final. He is by the multiple stakes sire Rock Solid Jess. Johnson saddled three of eight qualifiers.

The complete list of qualifiers, times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.

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NOTES FROM THE DOWNS: Apollitical Scout, a 4-year-old daughter of Apollitical Jess owned by Paragon Farms, dominated Friday’s 400-yard, $26,400 open-condition allowance feature for fillies and mares at The Downs. Ridden by Jose Alvarez for trainer Jimmy Padgett and sent to post as the 7-10 favorite in the 10-horse field, the mare defeated Famous Crazyface by two lengths in :19.32. Apollitical Scout was coming off of a neck victory in the 400-yard, $103,300 Junos Request Stakes (G2) at Remington Park on June 2….Live racing resumes at The Downs on Saturday, starting at 6:05 p.m. (MDT). The 10-race card is topped by the 6 1/2-furlong, $55,000 Budweiser Special Handicap, which will be run as the fourth race.

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The Downs at Albuquerque Racetrack and Casino is located in the heart of Albuquerque at Expo New Mexico, the home of the New Mexico State Fair, and general admission and parking are always free (via the casino entrance at Louisiana and Central) . For more information, visit abqdowns.com and click on the "Racing" link at the top of the homepage.