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Pavel, KJ Bad Moon Rising Headline New Mexico State Fair Futurity trials.
All American Futurity(G1) runner-up KJ Bad Moon Rising is entered in Friday’s New Mexico State Fair Quarter Horse Futurity RG2 trials at Albuquerque Downs.

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Pavel, KJ Bad Moon Rising Headline New Mexico State Fair Futurity trials.

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–SEPTEMBER 18, 2024–A total of 138 state-bred 2-year-old Quarter Horses -- led by multiple graded stakes winner Pavel and All American Futurity (G1) runner-up KJ Bad Moon Rising -- are entered in Friday’s 400-yard New Mexico State Fair Quarter Horse Futurity RG2 trials at Albuquerque Downs.

Fourteen trials are scheduled, starting at 12:30 p.m. (MDT). The last heat is scheduled to go off at 5:55 p.m.

A gelded son of the Corona Cartel stallion Czar Cartel MV owned and trained by Jorge Luis Sanchez Jr., Pavel brings in earnings of $288,990 from five races, and his four wins include the April 6, $355,000 New Mexican Spring Futurity (RG2) at Sunland Park, and the May 18, $234,000 New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity (RG3) at SunRay Park.

Pavel was a $6,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs. The bay gelding drew post 2 and will be ridden by Luis Martinez in the fourth trial.

KJ Bad Moon Rising is a homebred son of first-crop sire KJ Mucho Macho Man trained by Wes Giles for owners John Lee and Kathy Lee. The gelding has banked $501,693 from five races, and he will be shortening in distance off of his second-place finish, a neck behind winner Hezgothelook Z, in the 440-yard, $3-million All American Futurity at Albuquerque Downs on September 2.

KJ Bad Moon Rising drew post 3 and will be ridden by Adrian Ramos in the fifth heat.

Other prominent state-bred juveniles entered in Friday’s trials include graded stakes winners Woody Rocks and Harken. A son of Woodbridge owned by CHR Horse Racing, Woody Rocks has won his last four starts, including the 400-yard, $368,000 Zia Futurity (RG1) at Albuquerque Downs on July 28.

Woody Rocks drew post 5 and will be ridden by Christian Ramos for trainer Tony Sedillo in the fourth trial.

Harken is coming off of a second-place finish, a neck behind Woody Rocks, in the Zia Futurity. The Eye Am King gelding won all three of his outs during the Ruidoso Downs summer season, including the 350-yard, $351,000 Mountain Top Futurity RG2 on June 16. Marco Flores trains Harken for owner Alepony LLC.

Harken drew post 7 and will be ridden by Sergio Becerra Jr. in the 11th trial. 

The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the October 13, $1.2 million-est. New Mexico State Fair Futurity final.
 
All Albuquerque Downs races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.