Kj Bad Moon Rising Leads First Moonflash Maturity Saturday At Albuquerque Downs

The Saturday evening card at Albuquerque Downs will feature nine races, with the first post at 6:05 p.m. The spotlight will be on a talented group of older New Mexico-breds in the $70,000 First Moonflash Maturity.

A field of seven New Mexico-breds, 4-year-olds and older, will line up for the featured event in race four. The field is set to race 440 yards at approximately 7:20 p.m., with an accomplished stakes winner leading a competitive group to the starting gate.

Kj Bad Moon Rising heads the field as the 5-2 morning-line favorite. The 4-year-old gelding recently turned in a solid effort against top company in the Grade 1 All American Gold Cup, finishing fifth before being elevated to fourth.

Prior to that start, Kj Bad Moon Rising put together back-to-back stakes wins, capturing the Grade 2 $81,000 Jess Burner Memorial Stakes and the Grade 2 $75,000 Zia Stakes. The accomplished New Mexico-bred has earned nine career victories and built an impressive bankroll of $1,444,856.

John Lee and Kathy Lee's New Mexico homebred is by Kj Mucho Macho Man and out of the First Moonflash mare Kj Kiss Me Goodbye. Wesley T. Giles trains Kj Bad Moon Rising, who will break from post five with jockey Noe Garcia Jr. returning to the saddle.

Woody Rocks enters as the 3-1 second choice on the morning line and brings momentum into Saturday night's test. The 4-year-old gelding has won in each of his last two starts against allowance company and now steps back into stakes competition with confidence on his side.

Woody Rocks faced Kj Bad Moon Rising earlier this season in his first start of the year. With two victories since that meeting, he returns for another shot at the millionaire gelding as he looks to carry his recent form into one of his biggest tests of the season.

Woody Rocks, the son of Woodbridge, is out of the Fantastic Corona Jr mare Jr Rock Star and was bred in New Mexico by MJ Farms. He races for CHR Racing, which purchased him for $25,000 as a yearling at the Ruidoso New Mexico Yearling Sale. Tony E. Sedillo trains Woody Rocks, who will leave from post four with jockey Luis Martinez aboard.

With proven stakes talent, improving contenders, and 440 yards separating seven New Mexico-breds from the winner's circle, the $70,000 First Moonflash Maturity has all the ingredients for a thrilling finish Saturday night at Albuquerque Downs.

The races at Albuquerque Downs can be watched on Q-Racing Video.

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