The biggest weekend in Quarter Horse racing has arrived, and some of the sport’s most accomplished sophomore stars are set to take center stage Sunday at Albuquerque Downs. A loaded 10-race program will build toward the Grade 1 $1 million All American Derby, with the Grade 1 $700,000 All American Oaks and the $100,000 All American Invitational Stakes adding even more championship-caliber talent to the afternoon.

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The ninth race will bring together the 10 fastest qualifiers from the August 9 trials for the Grade 1 $1 Million All American Derby. The 3-year-olds are scheduled to load into the gates at approximately 4:50 p.m. for a quarter-mile test at 440 yards.

While the Derby traditionally showcases the top colts and geldings, this year’s field is led by the lone filly in the lineup. Gf Shes Sinful will take on the boys rather than compete in the Oaks, and she enters as the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

Gf Shes Sinful left little doubt about her readiness for the trials, dominating her heat by 2 1/2 lengths to post the fastest qualifying time. The talented filly has won six of nine career starts and finished second twice, proving she belongs among the elite of her generation.

Her résumé already includes success at the highest level. Gf Shes Sinful captured the Grade 1 $745,000 Ruidoso Derby earlier this season, then finished second by three-quarters of a length in the Grade 1 Rainbow Oaks. She enters the All-American Derby with career earnings of $463,553 for All In Partners, which purchased her for $50,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.

Bred in Oklahoma by Kevin A. Birrell, Gf Shes Sinful is by Dulce Sin Tacha and out of the Foose mare Bf Fooserageous. Wesley T. Giles trains the filly, who will break from post eight with jockey Noe Garcia, Jr., aboard.

Waiting to challenge her is one of the most decorated horses in his generation.

Political Twist enters as the 7-2 second choice on the morning line and brings championship credentials into the final. The gelding has won three consecutive starts this season, including the Grade 1 $757,000 Rainbow Derby.

His championship campaign as a juvenile established him among the nation’s elite. Political Twist was named AQHA Champion 2-Year-Old and Champion 2-Year-Old Gelding after a season highlighted by wins in the Grade 1 $1 million Ruidoso Futurity and the Grade 2 West Texas Futurity. He also finished second in the Grade 1 $3 million All American Futurity and qualified for the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.

With career earnings of $1,467,886, Political Twist returns to the All-American stage seeking to add another major Grade 1 victory to an already impressive résumé for owner La Feliz Montana Ranch, LLC, which purchased him at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.

The New Mexico-bred son of Apollitical Jess is out of the Tres Seis mare C Twister Seis and was bred by MJ Farms. Manuel Rodolfo Rodriguez will saddle Political Twist from post 10, with his regular rider, reigning champion jockey Luis Martinez, aboard.

Two races earlier, the sophomore fillies will take center stage in the Grade 1 $700,000 All American Oaks. The seventh race features the fastest qualifiers from the August 9 trials, with the 440-yard final scheduled for approximately 4:00 p.m. The early lineup lists No. 7 Apollirevenge as a scratch.

Full Moon Desire leads the Oaks field as the 5-2 morning-line favorite after posting the fastest qualifying time. She stayed on task throughout her trial and pulled away to win by one length, securing her place in the race for one of the season’s premier prizes for 3-year-old fillies.

The trial marked only her second start of the season. In her previous appearance, Full Moon Desire finished second in the $60,000 Ms Retama Stakes after setting the early pace and then weakening late in the prep for her trip to Albuquerque.

Her juvenile campaign demonstrated what she is capable of at her best. Full Moon Desire captured the Grade 2 $308,000 EVD Futurity and the Grade 3 Sam Houston Juvenile Challenge Stakes last season, giving her proven graded-stakes credentials heading into Sunday’s final.

The Texas-bred daughter of Chilitos is out of the Desirio mare Mystical Desire and was bred by Juan M. Lozano, Jr., and Jairo Lozano. She races for Leviram Racing, LLC, which purchased her for $11,000 at the TQHA Yearling Sale. Heber Deyta-Melendez conditions Full Moon Desire, who will break from post 10, the outside, with jockey Juan Pulido aboard.

The All-American stakes action kicks off in the sixth race with the $100,000 All American Invitational Stakes. The 440-yard event features 10 sophomores who did not advance to the Grade 1 All American Derby and is scheduled for approximately 3:35 p.m.

Envestor leads the field as the 3-1 morning-line favorite after finishing fourth, 1 1/4 lengths behind, in his All-American Derby trial.

The gelding has already proven himself against major competition this season. After opening his sophomore campaign with an allowance victory, Envestor shipped to Albuquerque and won his trial to qualify for the Grade 1 $745,000 Ruidoso Derby. He returned in the final to finish fourth, 2 1/4 lengths behind.

Through nine career starts, Envestor has posted five wins and earned $419,387 for owners Richard Young, Joe David Yates and Zack Stinebaugh, who bought him for $28,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.

Bred in Arkansas by Belinda Shaw, Envestor is by Dulce Sin Tacha and out of the Stoli mare And Poof Shes Gone. Part-owner Zackary Stinebaugh also trains the gelding, who will break from post four with a rider change to Ali Rivera.

For generations, Labor Day weekend has been the pinnacle of Quarter Horse racing, and Sunday’s program will put the sophomore division squarely in the spotlight. The Invitational will open the stakes action, followed by the fillies’ battle for the All-American Oaks, as the afternoon builds toward the $1 million Derby.

At the center of it all is an intriguing clash between two proven Grade 1 performers. Gf Shes Sinful brings the fastest qualifying time and will attempt to defeat the boys, while Political Twist returns to the stage where he came within a narrow margin of All-American glory as a juvenile.

This time, they will meet at 440 yards, with $1 million, a Grade 1 title, and a place in All American history on the line.

The races at Albuquerque Downs can be watched on Q-Racing Video.

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