Kid Kawliga Cruises To 1 1/2-Length Victory In $40,000 Albuquerque Juvenile

Kid Kawliga delivered a commanding performance Saturday evening at The Downs at Albuquerque, capturing the $40,000 Albuquerque Juvenile Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths over a field of ten two-year-old Quarter Horses.

Ridden by Juan Pulido, the gelding broke fourth before quickly taking command of the 350-yard contest. Kid Kawliga established a half-length advantage early and continued to widen his lead, crossing the wire 1 1/2 lengths clear of runner-up Rc One Eye Cat. The 4-5 favorite stopped the clock in :17.241 over a fast track, earning a 96 speed index.

Owned by Brant Barley and trained by Heber Deyta-Melendez, Kid Kawliga was bred in Texas by Mary and Jack W. Evans Jr. The gelding is a $25,000 graduate of the 2025 Heritage Place Yearling Sale. He is sired by champion Kvn Corona, whose progeny have earned more than $10.3 million, and is out of the First Down Dash mare Caldonia Rose.

Saturday's victory improved Kid Kawliga's career record to 4-2-0-1. The $18,400 winner's share of the purse boosted his lifetime earnings to $30,465.

Rc One Eye Cat finished second under Raul Ortega for owner RC Racing LLC and trainer David Gomez-Barraza. Breaking sharply from post five, the filly was first away from the gate before settling behind the eventual winner. She maintained her position throughout the race, finishing 1 1/2 lengths behind Kid Kawliga while holding a one-length advantage over the third-place finisher. She completed the distance in :17.466, earning a 90 speed index.

Bred by RC Racing LLC, Rc One Eye Cat is sired by Astico and is out of the Apollitical Jess mare Apollitical Kitten. The filly now has a career record of 8-1-1-2 with $20,237 in earnings.

Whole Lotta Outlaw rounded out the trifecta under Jesus Ayala for owner and breeder Casey Whitaker and trainer Savana Canales. Breaking third from the outside post, the filly improved her position during the race and maintained a steady effort to finish third, three-quarters of a length ahead of Jo Playmaker. She stopped the clock in :17.628, earning an 85 speed index.

The homebred filly is sired by champion Dulce Sin Tacha and is out of the Pappasito mare Outlaw Girl Josie. Whole Lotta Outlaw entered Saturday's contest following a victory at Sweetwater Downs on September 11. Earlier in her career, she finished fifth in the 307HR Open Juvenile Stakes. She now has a record of 8-2-2-3 and $20,830 in earnings.

Jo Playmaker finished fourth, followed by Lilys Saint, Fly Yulla Yulla, Tesstify, Viva Le Richville, It Houston and Kr Candy Dragon.

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