Graded stakes winner Danjer drew post 10 in the Grade 1 $300,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship on Sunday at The Downs at Albuquerque.

© Coady Photography

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—SEPTEMBER 15, 2020—Six official American Quarter Horse stakes, topped by the 440-yard, $300,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship (G1), will be contested on Sunday, closing day of the 2020 Albuquerque Downs meet.

Danjer, a homebred 4-year-old son of champion and world champion sire FDD Dynasty racing for Downtime Enterprises LLC, Billy G. Smith, and trainer Dean Frey, is coming off of a second-place finish, a neck behind Dexxter, in the 440-yard, $125,000 All American Gold Cup (G1) at Ruidoso Downs on September 6. The gelding has earned $60,244 from four races this season.

Danjer drew post 10 and will be ridden by Cody Smith. His opponents include Apollitical Pence, a 4-year-old son of world champion Apollitical Jess trained by Monty Arrossa for owners Dunn Ranch and Valeriano Racing Stables LLC. Apollitical Pence will be making his first start since May 30, when the homebred gelding finished third, one half of a length behind winner Dexxter, in the 440-yard, $210,000 Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship (G1).

Apollitical Pence drew the rail post and will be ridden by James Flores.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:

1. Apollitical Pence (James Flores)
2. Eagles Fly Higher (Mario Delgado)
3. Jess A Satin Flash (Alejandro Medellin)
4. Putinical (Edgar S. Martinez)
5. Mi Amor Secreto (Jose A. Alvarez)
6. Valiant Tiberias (Alan Hernandez)
7. Apollitical Papa (Alfredo Sigala)
8. No Mires A La Luna (Francisco Calderon)
9. Marcus Medallion (Adrian Ramos)
10. Danjer (Cody Smith)
11. AE-Eagle Coast (Daniel Amaya)
12. Diamond And A Half (Noe Garcia)

Also on Sunday, 10 state-bred 2-year-olds are entered in one of the sport’s oldest continually run stakes, the 400-yard, $500,000-est. New Mexico State Fair Futurity (RG3).

Woodys Gold, a multiple graded stakes placed son of Woodbridge trained by Clint Crawford for owner Cavenaugh Quarter Horses LLC, drew post 6 and will be ridden by Francisco Calderon. Campaigned exclusively in New Mexico, the gelding has earned $137,503 from five races, and his summer resume includes second-place finishes in the 350-yard, $334,000 Mountain Top Futurity (RG2) on June 13, and the 400-yard, $353,000 Zia Futurity (RG1) on July 26.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:

1. Devils Cut (Jose A. Alvarez)
2. Hes A Major Chick (Esgar Ramirez)
3. Western Sandman (Marcelo Barraza)
4. Celerity Baby (Benito Baca)
5. Fanncee (Alan Hernandez)
6. Woodys Gold (Francisco Calderon)
7. Your Easy Jess (Edgar S. Martinez)
8. Cartel Cambria (Adrian Ramos)
9. RCJ Major Cartel (Alfredo Sigala)
10. Winner Takes It All (Alonso Rivera)

Four other stakes are scheduled for Sunday. Guadalupe Cortez’s Surfz Up, a daughter of Corona Surfer and an $18,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs, heads the field in the 400-yard, $50,000 New Mexico State Fair Juvenile Stakes (R). A maiden from three outs, the filly has banked $30,121, and she was a finalist in the June 13, $334,000 Mountain Top Futurity (RG2) at Ruidoso. Surfz Up drew post 5 and will be ridden by Adrian Ramos for trainer Sergio Ibarra.

Luis H. Gonzalez’s Dr Tool, a two-time stakes winner in the Intermountain region this year, drew the rail post for Sunday’s 400-yard, $200,000-est. La Fiesta Derby. A gelded son of Kiss My Hocks trained by Sergio Ibarra, Dr Tool is coming off of an early season campaign during which he won the May 24, $51,000 Adequan Weber Downs Derby Challenge, and the July 8, $40,000 Adequan Pocatello Downs Derby Challenge. The gelding will be ridden by Alonso Rivera.

MJ Farms’ Donelli will put her undefeated local record on the line in Sunday’s 400-yard, $250,000-est. New Mexico State Fair Derby (RG3). A homebred gray daughter of Big Daddy Cartel trained by Wes Giles and the fastest qualifier, Donelli has won all three of her starts at Albuquerque Downs, including last year’s 400-yard, $386,000 New Mexico State Fair Futurity (RG3). The filly drew post 2 and will be ridden by Alan Hernandez.

A dozen 2-year-olds, including two also-eligibles, are entered back in Sunday’s 400-yard, $300,000-est. La Fiesta Futurity. J & SM Inc.’s Speed Dynasty, a finalist in the June 7, $1-million Ruidoso Futurity (G1), drew post 7 and will be ridden by Duane Sterling for trainer Fred Danley. A sorrel son of champion FDD Dynasty and a $150,000 buy at last year’s Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, the colt has won three of six outs and has banked $49,600.

All Albuquerque Downs races can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.