Harken, under jockey Noe Garcia, Jr., posted the fastest qualifying time for the $500,000-estimated New Mexico State Fair Quarter Horse Derby from five trials contested today at The Downs at Albuquerque.

© Coady Media

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—SEPTEMBER 20, 2025—Five trials were contested Saturday at The Downs at Albuquerque to determine the qualifiers for the $500,000-estimated New Mexico State Fair Quarter Horse Derby final to be run Sunday, October 12.

Accredited New Mexico-bred 3-year-olds raced 400 yards for a chance at the lucrative purse, with the ten fastest advancing.

Multiple graded stakes winner Harken, a $145,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale purchase in 2023, posted the fastest qualifying time when the gelded son of Eye Am King surged to a 2 ¾ length victory in the fourth trial, stopping the clock in 19.289 seconds, a 97 speed index into a 7 mph crosswind.

Owned by Alepony, LLC and trained by Salvador R. Soto, Harken was bred by MJ Farms from the Big Daddy Cartel mare Donelli. Jockey Noe Garcia, Jr. guided the sorrel gelding to the top qualifying spot.

Harken picked up his ninth career win in 14 starts. He won the Grade 3 West Texas Derby earlier this year and the Mountain Top Futurity(RG2) last season and has banked $374,687.

The second-fastest qualifier was millionaire Kj Bad Moon Rising, who dueled early and drew clear to win the third trial by three-quarters of a length in in:19.421 seconds, a 94 speed index into a 13 mph crosswind.

The bay gelding is by second-crop sire Kj Mucho Macho Man and out of Kj Kiss Me Goodbye by First Moonflash, bred in New Mexico by his owners, John and Kathy Lee. Wesley T. Giles trains the homebred, with Noe Garcia, Jr. aboard for the victory.

Winner of last year's New Mexico State Fair QH Futurity(RG2) and runner-up in the Grade 1 All American Futurity, Kj Bad Moon Rising has earned $1,113,003.

Rounding out the top three was graded stakes-placed Big Allstar, who chased Kj Bad Moon Rising gamely in the same heat to finish second but still earn a spot in the final with a qualifying time of 19.525 seconds.

The sorrel son of multiple stakes sire Big Daddy Cartel is out of Woodys Allstar by Woodbridge, bred by MJ Farms. Denis and Julie Schoenhofer own the gelding, who is trained by James J. Gonzales III and was ridden in the trials by Francisco Calderon. Big Allstar was a $58,000 purchase at the 2023 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale and has earned $117,573 in 10 starts.

The ten fastest qualifiers from Saturday’s trials will return for the $500,000-est. New Mexico State Fair Quarter Horse Derby final on Sunday, October 12, going a distance of 400 yards at The Downs at Albuquerque.

For the complete list of qualifiers, with times, connections, and breeding lines, CLICK HERE.

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