AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION—OCTOBER 31, 2020—Danjer, winner of the richest race during Saturday’s Bank of America Challenge Championships at The Downs at Albuquerque, jumped from unranked to No. 3 in the latest AQHA Racing National Poll for older horses.

Gold Heart Eagle V, who captured the All American Derby (G1) at Ruidoso Downs in September, remains at No. 1 in the rankings for 3-year-olds and up, while the 2-year-old poll remained mostly unchanged with undefeated All American Futurity (G1) winner Whistle Stop Cafe on top.

Danjer, a 4-year-old gelded son of FDD Dynasty, made a big late run to take the $251,775 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) in a quick time of :21.160 for 440 yards. That marked the second consecutive Grade 1 win for Danjer at that track, as he also took the $300,000 Downs at Albuquerque Championship in September.

Also this past weekend, Valiant Tiberias prevailed by a nose over Dexxter in the $200,000 Refrigerator Stakes (G1) at Lone Star Park. That effort propelled Valiant Tiberias from unranked to No. 8 in the poll, while Dexxter, a winner of three Grade 1 stakes this year, held the No. 2 spot following his first defeat of the season.

The juvenile rankings did not see many changes, with the biggest mover being Onemoreandiamgone V breaking into the poll at No. 8 after winning the Dash For Cash Futurity (G2) last month at Lone Star Park.

The next set of AQHA Racing Polls will come out in mid-November following the runnings of the Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity and Los Alamitos Super Derby on November 1 and November 8, respectively.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND OLDER

1. GOLD HEART EAGLE V (80)
2. DEXXTER (66)
3. DANJER (63)
4. RATIFICATION (52)
5. CERS FINAL TRY (49)
6. INAUGURATOR (42)
7. HOTSEMPTING (37)
8. VALIANT TIBERIAS (31)
9 CHOCOLATITO (15)
10. LOVE IS EVERYTHING V (14)

TELL CARTEL (9), FERNWEH (8), DREAMS DIVINE (5), JESS MY HOCKS (4), WRS APOLLITICALIVORY (4), LIFEINTHEFASTLANES (3), MADEWELL (3), SS CLASSYJESS (3), JESS B GLORY (2), LYNNDER 16 (2), POWERFUL FAVORITE (2).

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS

1. WHISTLE STOP CAFE (90)
2. CYBER MONDAY (74)
3. INSTYGATOR (58)
4. SHOTT GUN (54)
5. CHANCE TO EXCEL (53)
6. SAN LORENZO (49)
7. AINT SHE TEMPTING (36)
8. ONEMOREANDIAMGONE V (16)
9. (tie) LA JACONDE (9)
9. (tie) SHEZA FREIGHTTRAIN T (9)

A DOUBLE CORONA (8), JETTZ (8), WOODYS GOLD (7), BAD MONKEY (6), FOR THE IRONY (4), MONOPOLIST (4), HES INNOCENT (3), PAINT ME BROWN (2), SIR LOUISIANA DASH (2), APOLLITICAL GOLD (1), CM DILLINGHAM ADVICE (1).

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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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