Luxurie narrowly proves best in Mountain Top Derby
ALBUQUERQUE — Trainer James J. Gonzales III completed a rare sweep of two of New Mexico’s biggest quarter horse races Saturday night when Luxurie narrowly prevailed under jockey Joseph Belloc Jr. in the $190,386 Mountain Top Derby (R-G2) at Albuquerque Downs.
The 3-year-old son of Big Daddy Cartel, out of multiple stakes winner Astica, broke well from the starting gate and led gate to wire. He edged a fast-closing King Dynasty by a nose to secure the win in 16.977 seconds, less than a tenth of a second off the track record for 350 yards.
Luxurie, a narrow winner of last year’s Mountain Top Futurity at Ruidoso Downs, became the first horse to win both the Mountain Top Futurity and Mountain Top Derby this decade, according to the American Quarter Horse Association.
Luxurie was bred in New Mexico by MJ Farms. Purchased for $300,000 at the 2024 Ruidoso New Mexico Bred QH Yearling Sale, he is owned by Triple R Racing Stables LLC, Wallace Lynn Landrum, Ted Rushing and Rancho El 48 LLC. He has won six of eight career starts with earnings of more than $319,000.
Luxurie earned a spot in the Mountain Top Derby by winning his trial heat over the course May 30. He has won three of four starts over the Albuquerque course.
Sent off at 13-2 odds, Luxurie returned $15 to win. The $2 exacta with King Dynasty paid $156.20. Mw Bcause Im First finished third, and Cq Coyame Jessy rounded out the top four. Post-time favorite Pour Me A Drinkk, ridden by Oscar Andrade Jr., finished sixth in the 10-horse field.