Stakes Winners Headline Competitive $50,000 Champagne Lane Stakes At Albuquerque Downs

A talented field of New Mexico-bred fillies and mares will take center stage Sunday afternoon at Albuquerque Downs in the $50,000 Champagne Lane Stakes. The eighth race on the nine-race card features eleven entrants, including established stakes winners and experienced competitors, who will race 350 yards at approximately 4:25 p.m.

The Sunday afternoon program begins at 1:30 p.m., with the Champagne Lane Stakes bringing together several accomplished runners seeking to add another stakes victory to their records.

Defending champion Maka Roon returns to the Champagne Lane Stakes after winning the 2025 edition by one length. The 6-year-old mare has six career victories and $218,444 in earnings from 27 starts. She has finished third in each of her three starts this season, including two allowance events at Albuquerque Downs.

The daughter of Eye Am King is out of the Brookstone Bay mare C Roon. Bred in New Mexico by Dirk Jones, Maka Roon races for Christian A. Dominguez-Olivas and is trained by Mario Dominguez-Garcia. James A. Flores will ride from post eight.

Jm Famous Wynn enters as another leading contender following a successful stakes campaign. The 4-year-old mare has won five of sixteen career starts and earned $198,407. She captured the $80,000 Restricted Grade 2 Lou Wooten and Sydney Valentini Stakes at Sunland Park in January before adding the $75,000 Vista Distaff Stakes at Albuquerque Downs in June.

The daughter of Jm Specialwynn is out of the One Famous Eagle mare Famous Strawberry. Bred by Ventura M Ranch LLC, Jm Famous Wynn races for Carlos Soto Carrasco and is trained by Tony E. Sedillo. Christian Ramos will be aboard from post six.

Lovely Josie James brings graded stakes-winning experience to the field. The 3-year-old filly captured the $80,000 Restricted Grade 3 Sunburst Stakes at Sunland Park in February, rallying late to secure a narrow victory. She has three wins, two seconds, and two thirds in nine career starts, earning $167,187.

The daughter of Suspicious Interest is out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Lovely Lily Rose. Bred by La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC, Lovely Josie James races for Tungsten Racing Partnership and is trained by Marc Anthony Ramirez. Jose E. Ortiz has the mount from post nine.

My First Luv adds further stakes experience to the lineup as she prepares for her first start of the 2026 season. The 4-year-old daughter of First Moonflash has earned $192,873 from fourteen starts, with four victories, including back-to-back Restricted Grade 3 stakes wins in the New Mexico Breeders Stakes and Jimmy Drake Stakes at SunRay Park in 2025.

Bred by Mark and Fay Annett McCloy, My First Luv is out of the Walk Thru Fire mare Desperate Love. She races for Aylin Gutierrez and trainer Emilio Cadena, Jr., with Daniel A. Torres aboard from post 10.

Big Jessie also brings a strong record into the Champagne Lane Stakes. The 4-year-old daughter of Jesse James Jr. has won four of thirteen career starts and earned $137,434. She enters after a fourth-place finish in the $75,000 Vista Distaff Stakes in June. Earlier this season, she captured an allowance event at Sunland Park, defeating several stakes-tested rivals.

Bred by MJ Farms, Big Jessie is out of the Big Daddy Cartel mare Bigg Alice. She races for C. Denis and Julie Schoenhofer, with trainer Rodolfo G. Valles. Oscar Andrade, Jr. will ride from post five.

Merrmaid is another experienced contender looking to return to the winner's circle. The 4-year-old daughter of Big Daddy Cartel has earned $146,266 from 25 starts, with three victories. She enters following a third-place finish in the $70,000 Restricted Grade 2 First Moonflash Maturity at Albuquerque Downs on September 26. Earlier this season, she finished third behind Jm Famous Wynn in the Vista Distaff Stakes.

Bred by MJ Farms, Merrmaid is out of the Ocean Runaway mare Ms. Riptide. She races for Tomas L. Avitia and is trained by Emily Cardenas, with Francisco Zamora aboard from post seven.

With several accomplished stakes winners returning to familiar territory, the Champagne Lane Stakes assembles an experienced field of New Mexico-Bred fillies and mares, each seeking to add another stakes victory to their records.

The $50,000 Champagne Lane Stakes is scheduled as the eighth race on Sunday's card at Albuquerque Downs, with post time set for approximately 4:25 p.m.

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

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