Champions Dark NME, Cowboys Gun Z Headline Sunday's All American Derby Trials

ALBUQUERQUE, NM--AUGUST 6, 2024--Champions Dark NME and Cowboys Gun Z lead a group of 73 three-year-olds entered in Sunday's 440-yard All American Derby (G1) trials at Albuquerque Downs.

Eight heats will be run, beginning with the fifth race on the 12-race program, which gets underway at 12:30 p.m. (MDT). The ten fastest qualifiers will race in the $700,000-est. All American Derby final on Sunday, September 1.

Cowboys Gun Z is a son of Flying Cowboy 123, trained by Mike Joiner for owner West Texas Racing Partners. A $150,000 purchase at the 2022 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, the bay gelding was last year's champion 2-year-old and champion 2-year-old gelding, as he earned $1,548,344 from six races and won American Quarter Horse racing's richest race, the 440-yard, $3-million All American Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs.

Cowboys Gun Z drew post three and will be ridden by Agustin Silva in the second trial.

TYKHE Racing LLC's Dark NME is coming off of a third-place finish, a half of a length behind winner Dashing Tres, in the 440-yard, $795,000 Rainbow Derby (G1) at Albuquerque Downs on July 27. The bay daughter of Hes Relentless and a $65,000 buy at the '22 Heritage Place Yearling Sale, Dark NME was last year's champion 2-year-old filly, as she banked $1,559,452 and won three graded futurities, including the Grade 1 Rainbow Futurity at Ruidoso Downs and Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star Park.

Dark NME drew post four and will be ridden by Francisco Calderon for trainer Romeo Mireles in the sixth heat.

Dashing Tres will make his next start in Sunday's fifth All American Derby trial. A homebred son of champion Tempting Dash trained by Toby Keeton for owner Bob McClure, the sorrel gelding has won four of five starts and has earned $439,558. In addition to his neck victory in the Rainbow Derby, Dashing Tres was a finalist in last year's All American Futurity.

Dashing Tres drew post two and will be ridden by Bryan Candanosa.

The Marksman V will be making his first start since June 8, when the gelded son of world champion Apollitical Jess earned a wire-to-wire, 1 3/4-length victory in the 400-yard, $833,000 Ruidoso Derby (G1) at Ruidoso Downs. Heath Taylor trains The Marksman V for owner Valeriano Racing Stables.

The Marksman V drew post four and will be ridden by Francisco Calderon in the eighth and final trial.

The All American Derby trials, and all Albuquerque Downs races, can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.