KJ Desparado headlines the $350,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship (G1) at Albuquerque Downs on Saturday.

© Dustin Orona Photography

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–OCTOBER 3, 2024–KJ Desparado, American Quarter Horse racing’s all-time leading money earner, is the morning-line favorite for Saturday’s 440-yard, $350,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship (G1) at Albuquerque Downs.

Trained by Wes Giles for owners John Lee, Kathy Lee, and Ruben Mares, KJ Desparado was the sport’s champion 3-year-old in 2022. The homebred 5-year-old son of world champion Apollitical Jess has banked $3,108,099 from 25 races, and his 16 wins include six Grade 1 victories.

KJ Desparado drew post two and will be ridden by Adrian Ramos.

Giles will also send out Out Of The Way, a stakes-winning and Grade 1-placed First Moonflash stallion racing for Pierre Amestoy, Leslie Amestoy, and Roger K. Beasley. Out Of The Way is coming off of a third-place finish, 1 1/2 lengths behind winner Jess Good Wine, in the 440-yard, $250,000 All American Gold Cup (G1) at Albuquerque Downs on September 2.

Out Of The Way drew post four and will be ridden by Christian Cardenas.

The complete lineup, in post-position order, including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

1. Just En King (Jose Enriquez), 7-2
2. KJ Desparado (Adrian Ramos), 5-2
3. JM Special Ryon (Alfredo Sigala), 8-1
4. Out Of The Way (Christian Cardenas), 3-1
5. The Big Favorite (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 15-1
6. RC Corona King (Daniel Amaya), 6-1
7. FDD Cloud (Jesus Olivas), 9-2

All Albuquerque Downs races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.