Danjer, last year’s champion aged horse, heads a field of 11 aged runners (including one also-eligible) entered in Saturday’s 440-yard, $250,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1).

© Coady Photography

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—OCTOBER 23, 2021—Five graded stakes, headed by the 440-yard, $250,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1), are on tap for Albuquerque Downs today (Saturday), as the track presents the 2021 AQHA/Bank of America Challenge Championships.

The 10-race program, which also includes five undercard stakes, gets underway at 4 p.m. (MDT). This will mark the third consecutive year that Albuquerque Downs has hosted the Challenge Championships, making it the first track to do so in the program’s 29-year history. Next year’s Challenge Championships will be held at Indiana Grand Racetrack near Indianapolis.

Ed Burgart will host a pre-race handicapping seminar with retired 10-time AQHA champion jockey G.R. Carter Jr. The seminar will be held in Albuquerque Downs’ VIP room on the first floor of the grandstand, beginning at 3 p.m.

Following is a preview of all five graded Challenge Championship races.

Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1)

Danjer, last year’s champion aged horse, heads a field of 11 aged runners (including one also-eligible) entered in Saturday’s 440-yard, $250,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1).

A 5-year-old son of champion FDD Dynasty racing for Billy G. Smith, Downtime Enterprises LLC, and trainer Dean Frey, Danjer will be making his first start since September 19, when the gelding ran second in the 440-yard, $300,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship (G1). Danjer has won 13 of 24 starts -- including nine of 15 at the classic 440 distance -- and he has earned $1,244,827.

Danjer ended his championship season with a victory in last year’s Bank of America Challenge Championship. The gelding drew post 3 and will be ridden by Cody Smith.

Other contenders include Valiant Tiberias, a 5-year-old Valiant Hero gelding trained by Hector Jacquez for owners Sergio Holguin, Clifton Nielsen and Felix Rodriguez. Valiant Tiberias has banked $280,659 from six races this season, and he is coming off of a 1 1/4-length victory in the Albuquerque Fall Championship.

Valiant Tiberias drew post 4 and will be ridden by Adrian Ramos.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

1. Juice Is Loose (Edwin Escobedo), 10-1
2. Sables Dashin (Jesus Canales), 12-1
3. Danjer (Cody Smith), 4-1
4. Valiant Tiberias (Adrian Ramos), 3-1
5. Tempting Violet (Porfirio Cano), 20-1
6. Senor Frogs (Jaime Leos), 20-1
7. TLC Signature (Paul Nieto), 8-1
8. Mi Amor Secreto (Juan Pulido), 7-2
9. Perrys Double Down (Francisco Calderon), 6-1
10. DF Storm Tales (Nakia Ramirez), 20-1
11. AE-Man of Faith (Paul Nieto), 20-1

Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G3)

Bad Monkey, a homebred gray son of Capo de Capi owned and trained by Dean Frey, is the 3-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s 400-yard, $150,000 Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G3) for sophomores.

Bad Monkey won both of his outs at Ruidoso Downs last summer, including the August 28, $56,000 Adequan Ruidoso Derby Challenge. The gelding has won six of 12 starts and has earned $170,836, and he ended his 2-year-old campaign with a neck victory as the 9-5 favorite in the 350-yard, $126,000 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2).

Bad Monkey drew post 4 and will be ridden by Benito Baca.

Jet Wings One ships in from California, where the homebred EC Jet One filly opened her 3-year-old season with a victory in the May 23, $38,000 Adequan California Derby Challenge at Los Alamitos. Monty Arrossa trains the filly for the Estate of Dan Moon. The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

1. Seattle Cartel (Cesar T. Moreno), 20-1
2. FDD Princess (Bonifacio Quiroz), 15-1
3. Rowdysvision (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 15-1
4. Bad Monkey (Benito Baca), 3-1
5. Fortunes Wild Blood (Nakia Ramirez), 6-1
6. Painted Snowclouds (Jorge Torres), 20-1
7. Jet Wings One (Jose Nicasio), 4-1
8. JC Wild King (James Flores), 7-2
9. The Prize Ferarri (Jesus Canales), 5-1
10. Apollitical Hero (Edwin Escobedo), 20-1
11. AE-Bayou A Cartel (Cody R. Smith), 20-1

John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2)

Rachuan Suarez’s Here Comes Candy drew post 7 for Saturday’s 350-yard, $125,000 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2) for 2-year-olds.

A sorrel daughter of Jess Good Candy trained by John Stinebaugh, Here Comes Candy won two of her three races at Ruidoso Downs last summer, including the August 28, $84,000 John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge (G3). The filly has won three of five starts and has earned $51,812.

Francisco Calderon will ride Here Comes Candy.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

1. Kas Shes EC (Adrian Ramos), 7-2
2. Viva Le Zoom (Cody Smith), 5-1
3. Scoops Dynasty (Jose Nicasio), 20-1
4. Apolinaria Prize (Cesar T. Moreno), 5-2
5. De Laurentis (Juan Pulido), 12-1
6. Deutsch (Daniel Torres), 15-1
7. Here Comes Candy (Francisco Calderon), 4-1
8. Awesome View (James Flores), 12-1
9. Fly Donna Fly (Jonathan Dominguez), 20-1
10. Lil Longmire (Jesus Valenzuela), 15-1
11. AE-Freighttrain King (Juan Pulido), 20-1

Q-Racing Video Distaff Challenge Championship (G1)

The streaking Lynnder 16 drew the rail post for Saturday’s 400-yard, $100,000 Q-Racing Video Distaff Challenge Championship (G1) for fillies and mares.

Trained by Jason Olmstead for owners Tom Maher and Richard Tobin, Lynnder 16 has won all four of her outs and has banked $62,415 this season. The 5-year-old daughter of world champion Apollitical Jess is coming off of a three-quarter length win in the October 3, $34,000 Q-Racing Video Will Rogers Distaff Challenge in Oklahoma.

Lynnder 16 was a $31,000 yearling purchase at the 2017 Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale. All told, the mare has won 15 of 28 outs -- including eight of 13 at the 400-yard trip -- and she has earned $750,983.

Lynnder 16 will be ridden by Edwin Escobedo.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

1. Lynnder 16 (Edwin Escobedo), 5-2
2. Sinsational Tacha (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 5-1
3. Apollitical Mogul (Cody Smith), 7-2
4. El Oh El (Ramiro Garcia), 15-1
5. A Pollitical Gal (Francisco Calderon), 4-1
6. Tempting Knockout (Juan Pulido), 12-1
7. No One Fights Alone (Clay Teeter), 20-1
8. Pattys Saint (Jesus Virgen), 8-1
9. FDD Swingin Dynasty (Gerardo Vera), 15-1
10. Dark Moon (Jorge Torres), 20-1
11. AE-VR Sheza Fancy Pyc (James Flores), 20-1

Cox Ranch Distance Challenge Championship (G1)

Rockin J Running Horses’ Viva Le Don brings a three-race win streak into Saturday’s 870-yard, $100,000 Cox Ranch Distance Challenge Championship (G1).

A 5-year-old Rock Solid Jess gelding trained by Tammy Johnson, Viva Le Don has won four of seven races this season -- all at the 870 distance -- and has earned $139,717. His win streak includes a dominating 7 1/2-length victory in the 870-yard, $81,000 Jesse Yoakum Memorial Stakes (R) for Texas-breds at Sam Houston Race Park on June 12.

Viva Le Don drew the rail post and will be ridden by Josh Romero.

Reigning champion distance horse Madewell drew post 4 and will be ridden by Maria Baca for owners Ray Madewell and Davy Madewell and trainer Bernard Baca. A homebred 7-year-old son of Jess Jones, the gelding qualified with his 1 1/2-length win in the September 18, $56,000 Cox Ranch Albuquerque Distance Challenge (G3).

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

1. Viva Le Don (Josh Romero), 7-2
2. Ms Esther (Andrew Samaniego), 4-1
3. Nicos First Cartel (Alejandro Medellin), 15-1
4. Madewell (Maria Baca), 5-2
5. Faster Than Hasta (Ramiro Garcia), 15-1
6. Wascallywittlewabbit (Benito Baca), 3-1
7. Dance The Dust Off (Nakia Ramirez), 12-1
8. Illtakeyouforaride (Kelsi Purcell), 10-1

The other stakes on Saturday’s Challenge Championship program are the 870-yard, $35,000 Sandia Stakes for 3-year-olds and older; the 350-yard, $35,000 Albuquerque Juvenile Stakes for 2-year-olds; the 400-yard, $40,000 Lobo Derby for 3-year-olds; the 400-yard, $40,000 Pitre GMC Distaff Stakes for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and older; and the 440-yard, $40,000 Downs Casino Stakes for 3-year-olds and older.

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