Paradise Pete, under jockey Christian Cardenas, won the rich $45,000 Mr Jet Moore Stakes on Saturday at the Downs at Albuquerque.

© Coady Media

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—JULY 25, 2026—Stephen M. Harris' Maryland homebred Paradise Pete unleashed a powerful late rally to earn the first stakes victory of his career Saturday night, defeating Naughty Politics by 1¼ lengths in the $45,000 Mr. Jet Moore Stakes at The Downs at Albuquerque.

Covering 400 yards in 19.279 seconds over a fast track, the 4-year-old gelding earned a 97 speed index while banking the winner's share of $26,550.

Ridden by Christian Cardenas and trained by David Gomez-Barraza, Paradise Pete broke sharply before taking command in the stretch and drawing clear under steady urging. The chestnut gelding is by leading sire Flying Cowboy 123 out of Fire Specialist, by Walk Thru Fire.

Entering the race off a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 John Andreini Memorial Stakes, two races back, Paradise Pete improved his career record to 20 starts with six wins and boosted his bankroll to $161,993. The victory marked the first stakes score of his career.

Leonidas Loya's Naughty Politics finished a game second, holding that position by a nose over the late-closing Kj Born to Be Wild. Trained by Anthony Montoya and ridden by Gabriel Medrano, the 4-year-old sorrel filly earned $9,000 for the effort.

Bred in Oklahoma by Nick Reynolds, she is by champion sire Apollitical Blood out of Naughty Jess, by Swingin Jess. Earlier this season, she captured the La Plata Stakes and was third in the Grade 3 John Andreini Memorial Stakes. Her career earnings climbed to $142,188 from 19 lifetime starts.

Kj Born to Be Wild, owned by John Lee, Kathy Lee, and Ruben Mares, finished another half-length behind the runner-up to collect $4,500. The Wesley Giles trainee was ridden by Noe Garcia Jr. The 4-year-old sorrel gelding was bred in Arizona by John and Kathy Lee and Ruben Mares and is by leading sire Apollitical Jess out of Kj Mustang Sally, by Valiant Hero.

A multiple graded stakes-placed runner and last year's Texas Classic Derby (G1) runner-up, he increased his career earnings to $340,244.

Completing the order of finish were Kj Wildthang, Cd Favorite Fire, Fdd Dreams, Dos Special Eye, and Big Crush Bb.

Editor's note: A photo of this race will be posted when it becomes available from the track photographer. 

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This race was named in honor of Mr. Jet Moore, who was one of the greatest racehorses of the early modern era of Quarter Horse racing, earning the title of 1972 AQHA World Champion Racing Quarter Horse after a brilliant campaign that cemented his place in history. A homebred of Bob Moore Farms, the sorrel son of Jet Deck won 21 of 28 career starts while earning $341,407, an extraordinary sum for the era. His 1972 season included victories in the Rainbow Derby, Go Man Go Handicap, Vandy's Flash Handicap, Pomona Championship, and most notably the inaugural Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos. Tragically, Mr Jet Moore died from an aneurysm at just five years of age, leaving only one crop of foals, but his electrifying speed and historic accomplishments continue to rank him among the all-time greats of American Quarter Horse racing.

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