Maka Roon rolls late to win Champagne Lane Stakes
ALBUQUERQUE – Jockey Jacob Enriquez guided post-time favorite Maka Roon to a one-length victory in the $50,000 Champagne Lane Stakes, the featured event on Sunday’s closing day program at Albuquerque Downs.
Breaking from the far outside post in the 10-horse field, Maka Roon had clear sailing, making up ground while chasing early leader Chicka Boom Babe. Enriquez got Maka Roon to the lead in the final yards, drawing clear as they crossed the wire, stopping the timer in 17.149 seconds for 350 yards.
Owned by Christian Olivas and trained by Julian Rey Honesto, Maka Roon picked up her sixth win from 24 career starts, increasing her lifetime earnings to more than $208,000. The 5-year-old daughter of Eye Am King earned her first win of the year in the Champagne Lane Stakes and picked up her first career stakes victory.
Eye Am King, one of the state’s most prolific sires, adds another stakes winner to his long line of successes this year. Standing at MJ Farms, Eye Am King produced 2025 All American Futurity winner King of the Tide, as well as multiple stakes winners Bella De Ball and RC Corona King.
Bred in New Mexico by Dirk Jones, Maka Roon is out of the Brookstone Bay mare C Roon. The damsire is a seven-time winner from 21 starts with earnings of more than $184,000 on the track including a stakes win in the 2004 First Down Dash Handicap at Los Alamitos.
Among Brookstone Bay’s leading progeny are 2009 All American Futurity winner Running Brook Gal, as well as multiple stakes winner RCJ Major Storm, who captured the Grade 1 Championship at Sunland Park in 2014.
Sent off as the 2.30-to-1 post time favorite, Maka Roon paid $6.60 to win. The $2 exacta with Jess Paid returned $43.80. Copy Of Jess finished third with First Flashin rounding out the top four finishers.