KJ Bad Moon Rising tops field of 10 in NM State Fair QH Derby
ALBUQUERQUE – Wes Giles-trained KJ Bad Moon Rising will be in search of his second career stakes win Sunday at Albuquerque Downs when he arrives at the starting gate for the New Mexico State Fair Quarter Horse Derby as the 2-to-1 morning line favorite.
The NM State Fair QH Derby, at a distance of 400 yards, is the eighth race of a stakes-laden card and will be run with a purse of more than $419,750. Post time for the race is scheduled at 4:25 p.m.
Owned by John and Kathy Lee, KJ Bad Moon Rising is already a stakes winner over this course, having won last year’s NM State Fair QH Futurity. The son of KJ Mucho Macho Man has won four times from seven starts at Albuquerque Downs and has amassed earnings of more than $1.1 million in his career.
KJ Bad Moon Rising qualified for the NM State Fair QH Derby winning his trial heat here on Sept. 20, racing 400 yards in a time of 19.421 seconds, making him the second-fastest qualifier for the event. He will break from post 8 in the 10-horse field and will be ridden by Noe Garcia, Jr.
Giles will be represented by as many as three starters in the NM State Fair QH Derby. In addition to KJ Bad Moon Rising, Giles-trained BF Mucha Divine and Two Macho For You also qualified for the Derby.
CHR Racing’s Woody Rocks, listed at 3-to-1 on the morning line, is the second choice in the dash. Trained by Tony Sedillo, Woody Rocks just missed in his trial heat, losing by a neck behind BF Mucha Divine.
Woody Rocks, a six-time winner with earnings of more than $296,000, drew post 7 in the NM State Fair QH Derby and will be ridden by Christian Ramos.
In addition to Woody Rocks, Sedillo will also saddle 4-to-1 morning line third choice Alamos, who will break from the rail under Mauro Salcedo.
Owned by Tungsten Racing Partnership, Alamos narrowly won his trial for the NM State Fair QH Derby, beating Row By Row by a neck in a time of 19.557 seconds. The son of Eye Am King is in search of his third straight win and fourth from his last five starts.
The field for the New Mexico State Fair Quarter Horse Derby, with morning line odds and jockeys:
1 Alamos 4-1 Mauro Salcedo
2 Bf Mucha Divine 10-1 Emilio Tapia
3 Row by Row 6-1 Segio Becerra, Jr.
4 Eye Im Flashin 15-1 Luis Martinez
5 Two Macho for You 12-1 Jesus Ayala
6 Big Allstar 20-1 Francisco Calderon
7 Woody Rocks 3-1 Christian Ramos
8 Kj Bad Moon Rising 2-1 Noe Garcia, Jr.
9 Boot Scootin Mama 20-1 Luis Valenzuela
10 Myy Flashn Denali 20-1 Jesse Levario