AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge

Breaking sharply from his rail post, Steve Berry's Big Moon Dawg sprinted to a wire-to-wire victory in Sunday's 870-yard, $56,100 AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge Stakes (G2) at Albuquerque Downs.

Big Moon Dawg defeated 1-2 favorite Volcoms Favorite by two lengths in :45.569, a clocking accomplished against a reported 7-mph head wind in the homestretch. Alejandro Medellin rode the homebred 3-year-old son of champion First Moonflash for trainer Armando Alamos.

Big Moon Dawg was bred in New Mexico, and he was coming off of a second-place finish in an 870-yard, $33,000 non-winners-of-two allowance race at Ruidoso Downs on June 18. Raced in two states, including Arizona, the brown gelding has won two of 12 starts, and the $29,172 winner's share of the purse from his first stakes victory increased his earnings to $64,732, of which $61,536 has been banked from seven outs this season.

Big Moon Dawg earned a starting berth in the October 21 AQHA Distance Challenge Championship (G1) at Lone Star Park.

Stolin Train, A Rebels Revenge, and Discodancinpatriot completed the order of finish.

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