Phillybuster scores second consecutive stakes win in Mexico City and secures spot in October's Adequan Derby Challenge Championship

© Miguel Angel Espinoza / Hipodromo de Las Américas

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO–JUNE 21, 2026–Phillybuster surged to a neck victory in Sunday's $40,000 Hipodromo de las Americas Adequan Derby Challenge, earning his second consecutive stakes win and securing a berth to the Adequan Derby Challenge Championship on October 17 at The Downs at Albuquerque.

Under jockey Mario Alberto Lopez Marmolejofor owner Rancho Las Gaviotas and trainer Alfredo Rabanal Salinas, Phillybuster stopped the clock in 19.48 seconds, earning a 98 speed index for the 400-yard distance. The winner collected the $20,000 first-place share of the purse.

Phillybuster is a 3-year-old gelding by Apollitical Jess and was bred in the United States by MJ Farms out of Ima China Rush by Rushago.

The winning connections of Phillybuster accept the Adequan Derby Challenge trophy at the Hipodromo De Las Americas on Sunday. © Luis Prieto Zamudio

The gelding spent his juvenile season competing in Louisiana, where he raced in five futurity trials but did not advance to a final. After relocating to Mexico this year, Phillybuster opened his 2026 campaign with a fifth-place finish in the Easily A Possum Classic before breaking through for his first stakes victory in the AMCCCCM Derby on May 10.

Sunday's triumph marked his second straight stakes score and improved his record to three wins from 11 starts. Following the winner's payday, Phillybuster has earned nearly $40,000.

Phillybuster sold for $97,000 at the 2024 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale and was later repurchased for $30,000 at this year's Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale.

Rancho Las Gaviotas also campaigned runner-up Last Eagle V, who finished strongly for second under jockey Huberclein Gomez. The 3-year-old gelding by Gold Heart Eagle V was bred in the United States by Brian Gunder out of Ifuaintfirstulast by First Down Dash.

Trained by Alfredo Rabanal Salinas, Last Eagle V entered the race with a resume that included a victory in the Grade 2 Mardi Gras Futurity and a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 LQHBA Louisiana Million Futurity during his 2-year-old season. He was coming off another fifth-place effort in this year's Mardi Gras Derby at Louisiana Downs before moving to Mexico.

A $16,000 graduate of the 2024 LQHBA Yearling Sale, Last Eagle V now owns a record of three wins, two seconds, and one third from eight starts with earnings exceeding $255,000.

Dark Water Bay completed the trifecta for owner Cuadra Alpuyeca and trainer Enrique Garcia Perez. Ridden by Alejandro Gomez Lopez, the 3-year-old gelding earned another black-type placing after finishing third.

Bred in Oklahoma by Mike Vaughan, Dark Water Bay is sired by Mr Jess Perry out of Aqua Girl by Corona Cartel. The gelding entered the race off a runner-up finish in the AMCCCCM Classic and had also finished third in the Easily A Possum Stakes earlier this season.

As a 2-year-old, Dark Water Bay was honored as the American Champion Two-Year-Old Gelding following victories in the Alfredo Castro Rea Classic and Jody Glorys Classic. He also recorded second-place finishes in the John Deere Mexico Juvenile Challenge, Juvenile Championship, Prize Classic, and Las Americas Futurity.

The third-place check boosted Dark Water Bay's career record to three wins, five seconds, and three thirds from 11 starts, while increasing his earnings to $97,125. He was a $77,000 graduate of the 2024 Ruidoso Yearling Sale.

One Famous Temptaton finished fourth, followed by Blue On The Run, Shesa Luna Tach, and Fire Flys Higher to complete the order of finish.

Phillybuster's victory gave Rancho Las Gaviotas an early Challenge race triumph on the evening's card. In the very next race, the operation completed a rare double when they also captured the John Deere Juvenile Challenge with Rg A Candy Girl.

Sweeping both the Adequan Derby Challenge and John Deere Juvenile Challenge on the same program is an uncommon accomplishment and highlighted a dominant evening for the Mexican racing stable.

With the victory, Phillybuster earned an automatic berth to the Adequan Derby Challenge Championship, which will be contested on October 17 at The Downs at Albuquerque.

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