Raizen Kane, under jockey Ramiro Garcia, was much the best in Sunday's $149,925 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship at Albuquerque Downs on Sunday.

© Coady Media

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—OCTOBER 18, 2025—Raizen Kane (92-1) delivered a determined performance to surprise the $149,925 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2) on Sunday at Albuquerque Downs.

Breaking sharply from the gate, the sorrel gelding dueled early before edging clear to win by a half-length in 17.365 seconds for 350 yards, earning a 93 speed index with a 3 mph tailwind over a fast track.

Trained by Jason Olmstead and ridden by Ramiro Garcia, the Texas-bred son of world champion sire One Famous Eagle out of Cartel Regards by Corona Cartel earned $68,966 for the victory.

Bred and owned by Bobby D. Cox, Raizen Kane was a $40,100 repurchase at the 2025 Heritage Place Fall Mixed Sale. The two-time winner from five starts was second on the John Deere Will Rogers Juvenile Challenge in September and has banked $90,914 this season.

AQHA Chief Racing Officer Jane VanBeber presents the John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship trophy to winning jockey Ramiro Garcia and trainer Jason Olmstead at Albuquerque Downs Sunday. © Coady Media

Kowboy Boogie, a brown colt by leading sire Flying Cowboy 123 out of Hot Lips Lupita by Capo de Capi, finished second after a substantial late gain under jockey Bryan Candanosa for trainer Kenneth Durbin.

The New Mexico-bred runner is owned by Kenneth and Carrol Durbin and was bred by Carrol A. Durbin. Kowboy Boogie earned $29,985 for the effort, closing resolutely to finish a neck ahead of the third-place runner.

Kowboy Boogie defeated Raizen Kane in the John Deere Will Rogers Juvenile Challenge to earn his berth in the Championship finale. He has earned $100,452 after two wins in six starts this year.

Margarets Cowboy, a sorrel gelding by Flying Cowboy 123 out of Now Margaret by Pyc Paint Your Wagon, completed the trifecta under jockey Miguel Ramirez for trainer John Hammes.

The Oklahoma-bred gelding, owned by Bradbury Racing and John Hammes and bred by Bradbury Racing and Hammes, closed strongly to finish third by a nose and picked up $14,993. Winner of the John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge in August, he has earned $73,176 in eight starts.

Raizen Kane returned $187.00 to win, $18.80 to place, and $14.60 to show. Kowboy Boogie paid $2.60 to place and $3.20 to show, while Margarets Cowboy returned $4.00 to show. The $1 exacta (6–8) paid $45.40, the 50-cent trifecta (6–8–10) paid $137.25, and the $1 superfecta (6–8–10–2) returned $139.90.

Following the top three finishers were Trident Iot, Run Dont Walk, Full Moon Desire, Camila Girl, Flyin Summer, O Sawyer, and Send Magic Mike.

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