ALBUQUERQUE, NM—JULY 28, 2019—Making his first official start in nearly 11 months, Let There Be Sound overcame an outside post and scored a wire-to-wire, two-length victory in Sunday’s $54,137 AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge Stakes (G3) at Albuquerque Downs.

Let There Be Sound covered his 870-yard trip in :44.813 under jockey Gilbert Ortiz. John Stinebaugh trained the 5-year-old son of One Famous Eagle for owners Louis and Corrine Howard.

"He broke good," said Ortiz, who is based in Louisiana. "It can be tough to get good position from an outside post in these 870 races, but he did it easily."

Let There Be Sound was bred in Iowa by Black Oak Farm, and he was making his first start since September 2, 2018, when he earned a wire-to-wire, four-length win in the 870-yard, $20,000 Bill Reed Memorial Stakes at Ruidoso Downs.

He is a son of leading sire One Famous Eagle form the Rossini (TB) mare Sakakawea (TB).

The bay gelding has won five of 20 races -- including five of eight at the 870--yard distance -- and he has earned $94,736.

In addition to banking the $25,986 winner’s share of the purse from his second stakes victory, Let There Be Sound earned a starting berth in the October 26, $100,000 AQHA Distance Challenge Championship (G1), which will this year be run at Albuquerque Downs.

Madewell finished second and was followed by Rock A Billy.

Racing for owners/breeders Ray and Davy Madewell, Madewell is an Oklahoma-bred son of Jess Jones from the A Streak Of Cash mare Streakin Peacock. The graded stakes winner entered the race off a win in the Remington Park Distance Challenge Stakes (G2) on June 1. Tammy Kay Johnson saddled with Alejandro Medellin riding.

Johnson also trains the multiple stakes winning Rock A Billy, a Texas-bred son of Rock Solid Jess. The homebred for Rockin J Running Horses, from the Game Patriot mare Imaginiff, has earned more than $222,000. Enrique Garcia had the riding call today.

Flight Force, Highwire Dance, Zoomin Racer and Funny Munny completed the field.

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Albuquerque Downs 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 on Louisiana and Central). For more information, visit abqdowns.com and click on the "Racing" link at the top of the homepage.