ALBUQUERQUE, NM–OCTOBER 26, 2024–Shakers No Secret, a 4-year-old gelded son of the multiple stakes sire Five Bar Cartel, sprinted to his first Grade 1 win in Saturday’s 440-yard, $277,975 AQHA Racing Challenge Championship (G1) at Albuquerque Downs.

Trained by Marc Jungers for owners Abel Lopez, Ethan Lopez, and Manny Dutchover, Shakers No ...

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–OCTOBER 26, 2024–Ivan Rivera’s Frankie Jr scored an upset victory in Saturday’s $167,225 Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G3) for sophomores at Albuquerque Downs.

Sent to post at odds of 8-1 in the field of eight 3-year-olds, Frankie Jr covered 400 yards in :19.350, and his winning margin was a neck from 7-10 favorite Mystic Paint. Nestor Duran rode the sorrel son of the Tempting Dash stallion Kas ...

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–OCTOBER 26, 2024–Streaks Of Power broke sharply from post four and led at every call en route to a half-length win in Saturday’s $120,975 Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge Championship (G1) for fillies and mares at Albuquerque Downs.

Prepped by Monty Arrossa, Streaks Of Power covered her 400-yard trip in 19.367 under the ...

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–OCTOBER 26, 2024–Arbitro, a bay son of the Corona Cartel stallion Ivory James, campaigned for Campos Family Ventures LLC, sped to a wire-to-wire victory in Saturday’s 350-yard, $144,100 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2) for 2-year-olds at Albuquerque Downs.

Ridden by James Flores and sent to post as the 4-1 third choice in the field of nine, Arbitro defeated Bottle It Up by three-quarters of a length in 17.343. Claudio Barraza prepped the colt, who earned a 95-speed index from his first graded stakes win.

Arbitro ...

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–OCTOBER 26, 2024–From a field full of heavy hitters, the top two Volcoms, Favorite and Kj Leader Of the Pack, went back and forth for the lead to the wire. The favorite, Volcoms Favorite, came out on top for the win in the $115,000 Lip Chip LLC Distance Challenge Championship [G1] at the Downs at Albuquerque on Saturday.

Volcoms Favorite placed third in last year's AQHA Distance Challenge Championship Stakes [G1] to The Grand Legend and O Donavan Rossa.

Irwin Rosendo led Volcoms Favorite to victory this year ...

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–OCTOBER, 26, 2024–The AQHA Racing Challenge offers racing opportunity for horses from the regional to the national level, and with that gives more opportunity for horsemen to earn not only a piece of the rich stakes purses offered, but also year-end awards for the champion owner, breeder, trainer and jockey in the program.

The year-end awards are determined by points accumulated in regional qualifying races. At year end, the top earner in each division receives an award from one of AQHA’s Corporate Partners.

This ...

By Andrea Caudill

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–OCTOBER 25, 2024–What are the odds of landing in a Grade 1 stakes with a homebred from a one-broodmare operation?

Such is the luck of Oklahoma resident Paul Wolfe, who will cheer on his homebred One Fabulous Boy in the $265,000-est. AQHA Racing Challenge Championship (G1) as the flagship of his breeding operation.

"It’s an extremely small one," Wolfe said. "It has been pretty fun. We don’t do things big at all, we try to keep things ...

By Andrea Caudill

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–OCTOBER 25, 2024–If an 870-yard race is about going the distance, $115,000-est. Lip Chip LLC Distance Challenge Championship (G1) contender FL Rizzo has that going on not just on the racetrack but also with history.

The 4-year-old gelding is a second-generation homebred for Lindley and Julia Myers of Prosser, Washington.

"His mother’s still out here in the pasture,” Lindley ...

By Andrea Caudill

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–OCTOBER 25, 2024–One of the best things about the AQHA Racing Challenge is how it brings together horses from all over the world, and this year’s Adequan Derby Challenge Championship is an example of that.

AQHA Racing Challenge leading owner Jerry Stojan is supporting his family legacy as he brings a trailer load of contenders to Albuquerque for the AQHA Racing Challenge Championships. Among them are stablemates Pretty Sweet Jess and Fired, who both will contest the $165,000-est. ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–OCTOBER 24, 2024–All eyes of the American Quarter Horse racing world will be fixed on New Mexico this Saturday, as Albuquerque Downs Racetrack will host the 32nd AQHA Challenge Championships.

Post time for the first race on the 10-race all-stakes program is set for 6:05 p.m. (MDT)

The five Challenge Championship races will be contested in order from races 6-10. Following is a preview of ...

By Andrea Caudill

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–OCTOBER 22, 2024–Home court advantage for this year’s $140,000-est. John Deere Juvenile Challenge (G2) goes to Conflict, who enters this race with three races over the Downs at Albuquerque surface.

Racing for Scott Branson and Jimmy Vasquez, Conflict has finished top-two in seven of his nine career starts. He was second in his most recent two starts, including the John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge (G3) just behind Karmalites ...

By Andrea Caudill

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–OCTOBER 22, 2024–The $115,000-est. Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge Championship (G1) will offer a gate of great mares to watch compete, but it is also expected to be the swan song for Grade 1 winner Lynnder 16, who is preparing to retire from the racetrack after a remarkable career. The mare's record is practically unheard of today for a horse of her caliber, as this race will mark her 44th career start. She races for Tom Maher and Richard L. Tobin, who bought her as a weanling from breeders Jim and Marilyn Helzer. Lynnder 16's PPs ...

DALLAS, TX—OCTOBER 18, 2024—StallioneSearch.com launched its annual "AQHA Challenge Championship Preview" section today.

This special section, posted each year before the AQHA Challenge Championships, includes bios, pedigree, photo, owner, trainer, and jockey information on the finalists for each division of "Championship Night."

For the third time, The Downs in Albuquerque will host the AQHA Racing Challenge Championships. CLICK HERE for the 2024 StallioneSearch AQHA Challenge Championship's Preview.

AQHA Racing Committee Meeting will be held in Albuquerque on Friday, October 25th in conjunction with the AQHA Challenge weekend.

Five divisions of the Racing Challenge program cover ...

CLAREMORE, OK–SEPTEMBER 29, 2024–The $63,767 John Deere Juvenile Challenge marked the third straight win for trainer Jason Olmstead and jockey Ramiro Garcia in the regional challenge races at Will Rogers Downs on Sunday. The trainer/jockey duo teamed up for the 350-yard win with The Criminal for owner Tom Maher, who earned his second challenge stakes win of the day.

The Criminal was the outsider going into the race on 10-1 odds, which paid $23.60 to win, $8.00 to place and $4.80 to show. The son of leading sire Apollitical Jess got off with a good start toward the middle and went all out ...

CLAREMORE, OK–SEPTEMBER 29, 2024–Fastest qualifier Mystic Paint raced to a one-length victory in the $60,962 Adequan Will Rogers Derby Challenge on Sunday at Will Rogers Downs.

Jockey Ramiro Garcia rode Mystic Paint to a convincing win over the 400 yards in 19.774 seconds, a 98-speed index into a 10 mph crosswind. It was the fifth win in 15 career starts for the brown colt.

Leading trainer Jason Olmstead conditions the son of leading sire Pyc Paint Your Wagon for owner William F. Harned. Cavenaugh Quarter Horses LLC bred Mystic Paint in ...

CLAREMORE, OK–SEPTEMBER 29, 2024–Big Lew Love raced to his first career stakes victory Sunday when he went wire-to-wire in the $28,424 Grade 3 Lip Chip Will Rogers Distance Challenge at Will Rogers Downs.

Jockey Mario Delgado quickly guided Big Lew Love to lead from the inside rail, then dueled down the stretch with runner-up Fi Rizzo. The winning margin was a neck after recording 45.532 seconds, a 99-speed index over the 870 yards into a 12 mph crosswind.

Trainer Eddie D. Willis saddled the ...

CLAREMORE, OK–SEPTEMBER 29, 2024–Defending champion and challenge race superstar Lynnder 16 had a battle on her hands but held on for the win in the $28,798 Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge [G3] at Will Rogers Downs on Sunday. The victory marks the fourth consecutive year she has won this particular leg of the challenge races.

Firing fourth from ...

GRANDE PRAIRIE, TX–SEPTEMBER 28, 2024–Heavy favorite and fastest qualifier from the trials, Curls Joyful Wagon, celebrates her first stakes victory in the $39,644 Cox Ranch Lone Star Distaff Challenge on Saturday at Lone Star Park.

Curls Joyful Wagon's 400-yard victory secures a berth into the Grade 1 Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge Championship during Challenge Championship night at the Downs at Albuquerque on October 26.

Jockey Ali Rivera got the leg up aboard Curls Joyful Wagon for their third consecutive win this season.  The duo won an Allowance at Remington Park, then their trial heat to the Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge, ...

AMARILLO, TX–SEPTEMBER 27, 2024–Hotel reservations for the AQHA Racing Conference and Challenge Championships are due Saturday, October 5.

Everyone is invited to attend the AQHA Racing Challenge Championships, alongside the AQHA Racing ...

GRANTS PASS, OR–SEPTEMBER 22, 2024–Graded stakes winner Apolinaria Prize got her first win of the year today when she defeated a full field in the $58,718 AQHA Grants Pass Championship Challenge at Grants Pass Downs.

Bouncing off a second-place effort in the August 18 trials, jockey Cristian Gonzalez guided the 5-year-old mare to a new win over Ima Sixy Man. The daughter of multiple stakes ...

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–SEPTEMBER 21, 2024–Making his first start since June, Volcoms Favorite. (14-1)  became a graded stakes winner today following a three-quarter length victory in the $60,214 Lip Chip Albuquerque Distance Challenge(G2) at The Downs in Albuquerque.

Under jockey Irwin Rosendo Volcoms Favorite vied mid-stretch, then pulled away from his rivals and held for the victory. The son of champion Jess Good Candy completed the 870 yards in ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

GRANTS PASS, OR–SEPTEMBER 20, 2024–Ima Sixy Man, a multiple stakes-winning 4-year-old Corona Cartel gelding, is one of 10 aged runners entered back in Sunday’s 440-yard, $58,718 AQHA Grants Pass Championship Challenge at Grants Pass Downs.

Trained by Emilio Guerrero for owner Boardshorts Stables LLC, Ima Sixy Man won two stakes on the Northern California Fair Circuit last summer, including the July 4, 300-yard Jack Robinson Handicap at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton. The Oklahoma-bred gelding was a finalist in last year’s 400-yard, $163,000 ...