Racing


Favorite Latin Lover Rallies To Win La Fiesta QH Derby at The Downs
Favorite Latin Lover defeats My Famous Wagon (#5)and Tres Seis Traffic (#4) in the $135,588 La Fiesta QH Derby Sunday afternoon at The Downs at Albuquerque.

© Coady Photography
Favorite Latin Lover Rallies To Win La Fiesta QH Derby at The Downs

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—SEPTEMBER 20, 2020—In a strong rally under jockey Jacobo Enriquez-Navarro, public choice Favorite Latin Lover caught My Famous Wagon at the wire to win the $136,588 La Fiesta QH Derby by a neck at The Downs at Albuquerque on Sunday afternoon.

Trainer Antonio Soto saddled the son of leading sire Favorite Cartel to his sixth win in seven career starts. The brown gelding completed the 400 yards in :19.489 seconds, equaling a 94 speed index.

Favorite Latin Lover picked up $68,294 for owner Wilfrido Guillen. Steve Burns, Paul Jones and Thompson Racing Inc. bred the brown gelding in Texas from the Mr Jess Perry mare Jess Charming.

Winner of last year's Desert Classic Futurity at Turf Paradise, Favorite Latin Lover has earned $104,810.

The winning connections of Favorite Latin Lover accept the La Fiesta QH Derby stakes trophy Sunday afternoon at The Downs at Albuquerque. © Coady Photography
Caught the wire, Jill Giles' My Famous Wagon picked up $27,318 for second. Wesley Giles conditions the Dragon My Wagon gelding out of Miss Dash Ta Dial by Mark My Dial. A finalist in the La Fiesta Futurity last year, My Famous Wagon was bred by Juan Sanchez. He has earned $53,124. Alan Hernandez was riding.

Giles also saddled third-place finisher Tres Seis Traffic, a son of leading sire Tres Seis. Owned by Force Of Nine, the bay gelding was three-quarters off the leaders to earn $16,491. Daniel Amaya was aboard the Louisiana-bred out of Traffic Eyes by Mr Eye Opener. Delores Hill bred the $26,103 earner.

Dr Tool, Dynast C, Hes Sizzling, Kina Big Deal, Valentina Relentless, Cupids Fast Arrow and Dam Of Thrones completed the field.

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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.