ALBUQUERQUE, NM—SEPTEMBER 19, 2019— Albuquerque Downs will end the main portion of its 2019 season with a stakes bonanza featuring five Quarter Horse stakes and two Thoroughbred stakes.

Post time for the first race on Saturday is set for 6:05 p.m. (MDT). First post time for Sunday’s program, which features a total of six stakes, is 1:30 p.m.

Following is a capsule preview of all seven weekend stakes.

LA FIESTA QUARTER HORSE DERBY (Sunday; 400 yards; $154,552) -- Faster Then U, a stakes winner over the track during his 2-year-old season, heads the field in this race. Trained by Jimmy Padgett for a partnership, the Oklahoma-bred Ivory James gelding has earned $145,085 from 10 starts, and his three wins in four races at The Downs include a one-length victory in last year’s $257,000 La Fiesta Futurity. Faster Then U drew post 7 and will be ridden by Alonso Rivera.

NEW MEXICO STATE FAIR QUARTER HORSE DERBY (Sunday; 400 yards; $195,263) -- Cat Daddys Lil Girl leads a field of 10 state-bred 3-year-olds entered in this race. Trained by Cynthia Gonzalez for owners Jimmy Negrete and Jimmy Vasquez, the homebred gray Big Daddy Cartel filly is coming off of a Ruidoso Downs summer season during which she ran second, a neck behind winner No Mires A La Luna, in the 400-yard, $198,000 Zia Derby (RG2) on July 28. Cat Daddys Lil Girl drew post 9 and will be ridden by Mauro Salcedo.

LA FIESTA QUARTER HORSE FUTURITY (Sunday; 400 yards; $245,946) -- Valiant Astica is one of the main contenders in this race. Trained by Fred Danley for owners J & SM Inc. and Jimmy Childs, the Valiant Hero filly has earned $71,580 from five races, and her season record includes a fifth-place finish, 1-3/4 lengths behind winner Uncle D, in the 400-yard, $1-million Rainbow Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs in July. Valiant Astica drew post 9 and will be ridden by Noe Garcia Jr.

NEW MEXICO STATE FAIR QUARTER HORSE FUTURITY (Sunday; 400 yards; $398,140) -- Fastest qualifier Donelli is coming off of a clear 2 1/4-length win in the second of five trials on September 5. The homebred Big Daddy Cartel filly is trained by Wes Giles for owner MJ Farms of Veguita, New Mexico. Donelli drew post 3 and will be ridden by Alan Hernandez.

ALBUQUERQUE FALL QUARTER HORSE CHAMPIONSHIP (Sunday; 440 yards; $300,000) -- Twelve sprinters, including two also-eligible entries, have signed up for this stakes, which will be contested at the classic Quarter Horse distance of 440 yards. Political Attraction, the 129-pound high weight and 9-5 morning-line favorite, will be making his first start since June 2, when the 4-year-old son of Apollitical Jess scored a one-length win in the 440-yard, $250,000 Remington Park Invitational Championship (G1). Political Attraction won all three of his races during the Remington Park spring meet, all against graded stakes company. The gelding drew post 3 and will be ridden by James Flores for owners Rogelio Marquez Jr. and Kathy Robinson, and trainer Rick Robinson.

BUDWEISER SPECIAL STAKE (Saturday; 6 1/2 furlongs; Purse, $55,000) -- Bokeelia Island, a 7-year-old Kentucky-bred Medaglia d’Oro gelding trained by Justin Evans for owners Cindy Perez and Vanessa Evans, is the 8-5 morning-line favorite. Bokeelia Island has won two of his three starts during the current Albuquerque meet, including the 7-furlong, $55,000 J.R. Malouff Handicap on July 13. The gelding drew post 3 and will be ridden by Miguel Perez.

NEW MEXICO STATE FAIR THOROUGHBRED FUTURITY (Sunday; 6 furlongs; $202,713) -- A dozen state-bred 2-year-old Thoroughbreds are entered back in this race, headed by Wiskey Crown. A homebred Southwestern Heat gelding owned and trained by Fred Danley, Wiskey Crown won one of two trials on September 6, and his resume includes a second-place finish in the 4 1/2-furlong, $60,000 C.O. “Ken” Kendrick Memorial Stakes (R) at SunRay Park on May 20. Wiskey Crown drew post 4 and will be ridden by Frank Reyes.

Also on Sunday, six Thoroughbreds are entered in New Mexico’s longest horse race, the 1 13/16-mile, $25,000 Con Jackson Claiming Stakes. The Con Jackson traditionally closes out the Albuquerque Downs meet.

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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.