Multiple Grade 3 winner KJ Flying Cowgirl has been installed as the 201 morning-line favorite for Saturday's $50,000 Balloon City Stakes(G3) at Albuquerque Downs.

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By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–AUGUST 16, 2025—A field of elite older Quarter Horses will clash in the $50,000 Balloon City Stakes (G3) on Saturday at Albuquerque Downs, going 400 yards in Race 9.

First post is set for 2:45 p.m. (MDT).

Morning-line favorite KJ Flying Cowgirl (2-1) headlines the lineup following a string of sharp efforts for trainer Wesley T. Giles and owners John Lee, Kathy Lee, and Ruben Mares.

The 4-year-old Arizona-bred sorrel mare by leading sire Flying Cowboy 123, out of KJ Hotflash by First Moonflash, comes into the race off a dominant allowance score at Ruidoso Downs on July 6, where she drew clear to win by a length in 19.630 seconds at 400 yards.

She previously finished second in the John Andreini Memorial Stakes (G3) and captured the West Texas Maturity (G3) in March, boosting her career earnings to more than $200,000. Bred by John and Kathy Lee, KJ Flying Cowgirl will again be ridden by Emilio Tapia.

Second choice Hallmarke (3-1) has proven herself a formidable contender for trainer James J. Gonzales III and owner Laney Fowler. The 6-year-old Texas-bred sorrel mare by Duponte, out of Zenergy by First Down Dash, was a $17,000 Heritage Place Yearling Sale graduate and has banked over $183,000 in her career.

Hallmarke enters off a pair of tough graded stakes tries at Remington Park but returns to Albuquerque, where she is a perfect 2-for-2, including last year’s Balloon City Stakes victory at odds of 27-1. Christian Cardenas retains the mount.

Macdara (4-1) adds depth to the field as a lightly raced but talented 4-year-old Oklahoma-bred mare by champion sire Apollitical Jess, out of Amg Six Point Three by Pyc Paint Your Wagon.

Owned by Marty Neugebauer and trained by Wesley T. Giles, Macdara sold for $55,000 at the Heritage Place Yearling Sale. She won the Zia Park allowance at 400 yards in November and finished a close second in the Hobbs America Derby (G3), showing consistent speed figures in the upper 80s. Regular rider Noe Garcia Jr. will be aboard as she looks to improve on a solid record of 3 wins and $113,000 in earnings. This will be her first start in 2025.

The Balloon City Stakes (G3) has drawn a competitive mix of seasoned veterans and rising stars. Still, all eyes will be on whether KJ Flying Cowgirl can translate her recent Ruidoso dominance into another graded stakes score at Albuquerque.
 

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