Big Closing Weekend for the Albuquerque Downs Live Racing Season
Racing stars will be out in force this weekend for the final two days of the Albuquerque Downs live racing season. One "can't miss" race is Sunday's $250,000 Albuquerque Fall Quarter Horse Championship.
Albuquerque Downs is set to pay out a track-record $1.25 million in purses over its closing weekend with a total of four stakes for American Quarter Horses and one for Thoroughbreds. The $250,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship at 440 yards has attracted ten accomplished older horses.
The morning line choice is multiple Grade 1 winner, Zoomin Effortlessly. Zoomin Effortlessly, with regular pilot Santos Carrizales in the irons, will break from post position five. The 5-year-old son of Zoomin for Bux out of the Royal Quick Dash mare Royal Quick Affair, exits a convincing win in the $200,000 All American Gold Cup (G1) at Ruidoso Downs. Claimed for $10,000 in 2014, the Texas-bred gelding has now won 14 of his 22 starts, bankrolling over $426,000 overall.
Albuquerque Downs is set to pay out a track-record $1.25 million in purses over its closing weekend with a total of four stakes for American Quarter Horses and one for Thoroughbreds. The $250,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship at 440 yards has attracted ten accomplished older horses.
The morning line choice is multiple Grade 1 winner, Zoomin Effortlessly. Zoomin Effortlessly, with regular pilot Santos Carrizales in the irons, will break from post position five. The 5-year-old son of Zoomin for Bux out of the Royal Quick Dash mare Royal Quick Affair, exits a convincing win in the $200,000 All American Gold Cup (G1) at Ruidoso Downs. Claimed for $10,000 in 2014, the Texas-bred gelding has now won 14 of his 22 starts, bankrolling over $426,000 overall.
Zoomin Effortlessly returns to action Sunday in the $250,000 Albuquerque Quarter Horse Championship
His top rival appears to be JM Miracle, winner of the 2014 All American Futurity (G1). The gelding by Volcom has been lightly raced since that rich victory but has been consistent with two wins and three seconds in six starts over the past two years. He excels at the 440-yard distance with three wins in five starts, and although he hasn’t run since April he has performed well off layoffs in the past. At 8-1 on the morning line, he offers some solid value here.
A price play could be the rail horse, Fly Thru The Fire trained by AQHA leading conditioner Judd Kearl. The 5-year-old Walk Thru The Fire stallion has not raced since running second in the Sam Houston Classic (G2) on May 7, but it's hard to discount any runners from the Kearl barn in 2016. Jose Alvarez, who rode Ec Jet One to victory in the $2.4 million All American Derby, will ride Fly Thru The Fire.
Post time for the final weekend of live racing at Albuquerque Downs is 6:05 p.m. on Saturday and 1:30 p.m. for the final day, Sunday, September 25.
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