ALBUQUERQUE, NM—AUGUST 29, 2020—Graded stakes winner Donelli was a wire-to-wire by a neck over Dark Moon to set the fastest qualifying time for the $250,000-est. New Mexico State Fair QH Derby trials Saturday afternoon at The Downs at Albuquerque.

Under jockey Alen Hernandez, the son of leading New Mexico sire Big Daddy Cartel, completed the 400 yards in :19.635 seconds, a 91 speed index into a 5 mph head wind, to set the top mark.

Trainer Wesley Giles saddled Donelli to his sixth career win for owner-breeder MJ Farms. The gray filly entered the trials off a third-place effort in the Zia Quarter Horse Derby(RG2) July 25th and was second in the Shue Fly Stakes(RG3) in January.

Out of the Tres Seis mare, Tres Of Alice, Donelli has compiled a (10) 6-3-1 record and banked $280,244. She won the New Mexico State Fair Quarter Horse Futurity (RG3) and was second in the By By JJ Stakes last year.

Runner-up Dark Moon held onto the second fastest time of :19.656 seconds, a 90 speed index.

Clinton Crawford conditions the daughter of First Moonflash for owner Cavenaugh Quarter Horses, LLC. Francisco Calderon had the ridng call aboard the $62,433 earner out of Special Dark Ivory by Ivory James. Third in the Mountain Top New Mexico Quarter Horse Futurity(RG2) last year, Dark Moon was bred by Mike Abraham and Grant Farms.

The top-three qualifiers came from the second trial.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will return to The Downs at Albuquerque on Sunday, September 20th to vie for the winner's share of a $250,000-est. purse going 400 yards.

For the complete list of "State Fair" Derby qualifiers, times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.

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Albuquerque Downs Racetrack and Casino is located in the heart of Albuquerque at Expo New Mexico, the home of the New Mexico State Fair, and general admission and parking are always free (via the casino entrance on Louisiana and Central). For more information, visit abqdowns.com and click on the "Racing" link at the top of the homepage.