AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION—SEPTEMBER 26, 2018— essies First Down, who has topped the AQHA Racing National Poll for older horses virtually the entire racing season, on Sunday made his first start in more than three months, and he solidified his ranking with a victory in the $300,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship (G1) at Albuquerque Downs.

In addition to maintaining his spot in the latest poll, the two-time reigning world champion earned a berth in the $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park (G1) on December 30. This latest victory was the 7-year-old FDD Dynasty gelding’s third Grade 1 win in as many trips to the post this year after taking the Leo Stakes on April 28 and Remington Park Invitational Championship on June 2 in Oklahoma City.

The only change in the older-horse poll was the debut of Jess Ravin at No. 10 after the Corona Cartel mare took Sunday’s $125,000 Mildred N. Vessels Memorial Handicap (G1) at Los Alamitos. That victory earned her a berth in the $600,000 Champion of Champions (G1), which is December 16 also at Los Alamitos.v The rankings for 2-year-olds were basically unchanged this week as All American Futurity (G1) winner Apocalyptical Jess again topped the poll with Rainbow Futurity (G1) victor MM Fourinthemorning in second.

The upcoming final weekend of September has a light stakes schedule, but voters will have plenty to digest after the first weekend of October with graded stakes slated for Los Alamitos, Lone Star Park and Zia Park.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND OLDER

1. JESSIES FIRST DOWN (90)
2. BH LISAS BOY (83)
3. HOTSTEPPER (78)
4. HOLD AIR HOSTAGE (56)
5. ZOOMIN FOR SPUDS (51)
6. BODACIOUS EAGLE (43)
7. HEZA DASHA FIRE (37)
8. TARZANITO (30)
9. JESS MOVE YOU (21)
10. JESS RAVIN (15)

KVN CORONA (11), DF AJ GREEN LEAVES (8), FLY BABY FLY (8), BRUCE ALLMTY (7), JESSTACARTEL (5), PAPAWS PAINT (4), WAGON ON FIRE V (2), ROCKYS CANDY SHOP (1).

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS

1. APOCALYPTICAL JESS (100)
2. MM FOURINTHEMORNING (84)
3. WAVE HER DOWN (73)
4. BLUE CORAZON (65)
5. IM JESS SPECIAL V (48)
6. SUZE RETURNS (47)
7. LYNNDER 16 (30)
8. LONG WAGON HO (28)
9. WICKED AFFAIR (24)
10. JESS FIRE CHICK (17)

POWERFUL FAVORITE (11), DANJER (8), DAK (3), MPSHINNING (3), ZEE JAMES (3), MR COAHUILA (2), RAPPID (2), FLYING EAGLE 07 (1), LEGEND OF THE VINE (1).

The integrity of American Quarter Horse racing is of utmost importance to AQHA. As part of a multifaceted effort to ensure integrity, AQHA has instituted a policy concerning awards and publicity that makes horses with racing medication positives and horses trained by trainers with racing medication positives ineligible for the AQHA Racing National Polls. CLICK HERE to read the complete policy.

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