ALBUQUERQUE, NM—OCTOBER 24, 2020—Bad Monkey, under jockey Benito Baca, got up at the wire to defeat Jc Wild King by a neck in the $125,800 Grade 2 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship Saturday at The Downs at Albuquerque.

Bouncing off a ninth-place effort in the Dash For Cash Futurity(G2) on September 27th, Bad Monkey completed the 350 yards in :17.487 seconds to garner his fourth career win for owner-breeder and trainer Dean Frey.

The son of multiple stakes sire Cap de Capi picked up $57,868 to push his career mark to $134,269. The well-traveled colt won the John Deere Ruidoso Downs Juvenile Challenge(G3) and was second in the MQHRA Stallion Auction Futurity at Canterbury Park his year. He was bred in California from the Mr Eye Opener mare Girls Eye Too.

Runner-up Jc Wild King earned $25,160 for owner-breeder Jose Cervantes. Casey Black trains the son of leading sire Apollitical Jess from the Stoli mare Oh Cherokee Rose. Bred in Oklahoma, Jc Wild King won the Will Rogers Downs John Deere Juvenile Challenge in his last start October 4th. Ridden by Mario Delgado, he has earned nearly $50,000 in five starts this season.

Another neck back in third was Debra Gotovac's homebred Isa Super Freak. Bradley Bolen trains the son of first-crop sire Ivan James from the Jet Black Patriot mare Isa Precious Patriot. Ridden by Alejandro Medellin, the multiple graded-placed gelding earned $12,580 to bring his bankroll total to $8,811.

Tres A Jess, Summon, Charlies Fast Man, Louisana Bunny, Cartel Creek, Purty Darn Quick and Flight Club completed the field.