All-star cast slated to contest $75,000 Jess Burner Stakes
ALBUQUERQUE — A field of 12, with combined earnings of more than $4.7 million, passed the entry box for Saturday’s $75,000-added Jess Burner Stakes for registered New Mexico-bred quarter horses at Albuquerque Downs.
Headlined by 10-time winner RC Corona King, the 400-yard dash will go as the ninth race of a 10-race card that also features six trials for the Mountain Top New Mexico bred Quarter Horse Derby. First post time for the Saturday program is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
Trained by Gerardo Quinonez for owner Jose R. Riojas, RC Corona King is coming into the Jess Burner off back-to-back wins at Sunland Park. The son of Eye Am King won a trial heat for the West Texas Maturity, then followed that up with a narrow victory in the finals on March 28. RC Corona King has earned more than $757,000, winning 10 times in 30 career starts. The horse also has two wins at Albuquerque Downs, including last year’s Downs at Albuquerque Fall Championship Stakes and the 2024 First Moonflash Maturity.
RC Corona King has been installed as the 5-to-2 morning line favorite in the Jess Burner Stakes. He will break from the inside post with Sergio Dominguez scheduled to ride.
KJ Bad Moon Rising, an earner of $1.3 million, adds to the list of contenders in the Jess Burner. Owned by John Lee and Kathy Lee, KJ Bad Moon Rising is hoping to snap a three-race losing streak. His most recent effort was a trouble-filled effort in the La Plata Stakes April 19 at SunRay Park and Casino.
KJ Bad Moon Rising has five wins from eight starts at Albuquerque Downs, including last year’s New Mexico State Fair Derby. Trained by Wes Giles, the son of Kj Mucho Macho Man also won the 2024 New Mexico State Fair Derby and was second in the 2024 All American Futurity.
Breaking from post six in the Jess Burner, KJ Bad Moon Rising is listed at 12-to-1 on the morning line and will be ridden by Luis Valenzuela.
Trainer James J. Gonzales III will send out defending champion Da Edge of Gray, looking for back-to-back wins after scoring a minor upset in the Jimmy Drake Stakes at SunRay Park last time out. Owned by Rex Wells, the son of Big Daddy Cartel has won seven times from 19 career starts and will break from post nine with Joseph Belloc, Jr. in the irons as the 7-to-2 second choice in the Jess Burner.
Making his first start in more than eight months will be Salvador Soto-trained Harken. Owned by Alepony LLC, Harken was last seen winning a trial and becoming the fastest qualifier for the New Mexico State Fair QH Derby on Sept. 20 before being forced to the sidelines for the finals. The son of Eye Am King has nine wins from 14 starts including last year’s West Texas Derby at Sunland Park and the 2024 Mountain Top New Mexico Bred QH Futurity at Ruidoso Downs. He has earned more than $394,000 in his career and will be ridden by Jesse Levario from post seven in the Jess Burrner.
The field, with morning line odds and riders for the Jess Buirner Stakes:
1 Rc Corona King (5-2) Sergio Dominguez
2 Woody Rocks (10-1) Luis Martinez
3 Lookin for Cartel (20-1) Gabriel Medrano
4 Real Runaway Rime (20-1) Jose Enriquez 128
5 Alamos (9-2) Oscar Andrade, Jr.
6 Kj Bad Moon Rising (12-1) Luis Valenzuela
7 Harken (6-1) Jesse Levario
8 Pavel (15-1) Sergio Becerra, Jr.
9 Da Edge of Gray (7-2) Joseph Belloc, Jr.
10 The Calling (12-1) Jorge Nieto-Saenz
11 AE-Pick Your Pour (20-1) Jacob Enriquez
12 AE-Ocean Bridge (20-1) Jose Enriquez