Adequan Derby Challenge Championship Preview

A field of 10 3-year-olds is set to run in Saturday’s $165,000 Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G3) at The Downs at Albuquerque. The race is one of five graded events during the AQHA Racing Challenge Championships. 

Invasive is the 5-2 morning line favorite after a strong sophomore campaign with nearly $125,000 in earnings. Owned by Tungsten Racing Partnership, Pavon Racing LLC, Empire Racing and Heysol Howlet, the gelding by Favorite Cartel earned his spot in this field with a win in the $44,880 Adequan Los Alamitos Derby Challenge in May. The California-bred then won a trial for the Rainbow Derby (G1) at Ruidoso Downs and qualified to the final, which was cancelled due to flooding at the New Mexico track. Bred by Steve Burns, Invasive has a career record of 13-3-4-2. Invasive drew post 6 with Christian Ramos named to ride for trainer Marc Jungers. 

West Texas Racing Partners’ Two Two 22 is the second choice on the morning line after winning the $53,014 Adequan Will Rogers Downs Derby Challenge in Oklahoma. Three other horses from that Will Rogers Downs race are also in this 400-yard event, including runner-up Ketzal and third-place finisher Bottle It Up. Two Two 22, a gelding by Flying Cowboy 123, has post 5 with Mario Delgado up for conditioner Michael Joiner. 

Javier Rubio’s Ketzal, a PYC Paint Your Wagon gelding, finished just a half-length behind Two Two 22 last time out despite stumbling in that race. Ketzal broke his maiden in the Will Rogers Downs Challenge trials with an impressive three-length win. The gelding will come out of post 2 with Juan Pulido aboard for trainer Heber Deyta-Melendez.

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