Albuquerque Fall Championship Preview

KJ Desparado, American Quarter Horse racing’s all-time leading money earner, is the morning-line favorite for Saturday’s 440-yard, $350,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship (G1) at Albuquerque Downs.

Trained by Wes Giles for owners John Lee, Kathy Lee, and Ruben Mares, KJ Desparado was the sport’s champion 3-year-old in 2022. The homebred 5-year-old son of world champion Apollitical Jess has banked $3,108,099 from 25 races, and his 16 wins include six Grade 1 victories.

KJ Desparado drew post 2 and will be ridden by Adrian Ramos.

Giles will also send out Out Of The Way, a stakes-winning and Grade 1-placed First Moonflash stallion racing for Pierre Amestoy, Leslie Amestoy, and Roger K. Beasley. Out Of The Way is coming off of a third-place finish, 1 1/2 lengths behind winner Jess Good Wine, in the 440-yard, $250,000 All American Gold Cup (G1) at Albuquerque Downs on September 2.

Out Of The Way drew post 4 and will be ridden by Christian Cardenas.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Just En King (Jose Enriquez), 7-2
KJ Desparado (Adrian Ramos), 5-2
JM Special Ryon (Alfredo Sigala), 8-1
Out Of The Way (Christian Cardenas), 3-1
The Big Favorite (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 15-1
RC Corona King (Daniel Amaya), 6-1
FDD Cloud (Jesus Olivas), 9-2

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