Arbitro, ridden by James Flores, wins $144,100 John Deere Juvenile Challenge [G2] at the Downs at Albuquerque on Saturday.

© Coady Media

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 shipped in from Indiana, where he qualified to this race with a neck victory in the September 19, $46,000 John Deere Horseshoe Indianapolis Juvenile Challenge.

The gelding was bred in Texas by Dillon D. Lane, and he is out of Jess Dee Dee, an unplaced 9-year-old daughter of champion Mr Jess Perry, who sold for $37,000 at last year’s Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale in Oklahoma City. Arbitro also sold in the same sale for $40,000 to his current owner David Campos.

Arbitro’s second dam, the winning Runaway Winner mare Runaway Dee Dee, was a finalist in the ‘98 Retama Park Derby (G2). The gelding traces back to his third dam, Dashin Dee Dee, a multiple graded stakes winning Sir Cashanova mare.

The winning connections of Arbitro accept the $144,100 John Deere Juvenile Challenge [G2] trophy at The Downs At Albuquerque on Saturday. © Coady Media

Arbitro has won four of his five races, and the $67,727 winner’s share of the purse from his second-lifetime stakes victory increased his bankroll to $72,413.

His resume includes a second-place finish, a head behind winner Caughtmeatagoodtime, in the 350-yard, $169,000 Heartland Futurity at Horseshoe Indianapolis on July 20.

Jockey Jesus Ayala rode Bottle It Up to his second-place finish. The son of champion sire Tempting Dash has lit the board seven of eight starts with two wins and $72,450 in the bank. Brian Levings bred and owns the sorrel gelding in Oklahoma out of Poppin Bottles by New Year's Day. He is conditioned by Monty Arrossa.

Trainer Jason Olmstead named Ramiro Garcia to ride third-place finisher The Criminal for owner Tom Maher. The New Mexico-bred gelding has a record of 2-2-2 from seven starts and $54,639 in earnings. MJ Farms bred the son of Apollitical Jess from the Ocean Runaway mare Ms Riptide.

Jess Spicey Z, First Famous Prize, Conflict, Apollitical Bet, Rockin The Train, and Pluto 22 complete the order of finish. Love Ta Fly was scratched.

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