Making his first official start since June 1, Nove Racing's Volcoms Favorite scored an upset victory in Saturday's 870-yard, $60,214 Lip Chip LLC Albuquerque Distance Challenge (G3) at Albuquerque Downs.

Volcoms Favorite was sent to post at odds of 13-1 in a field of seven, and he defeated 9-2 second choice KJ Leader Ofthe Pack by three-quarters of a length in :44.989, a clocking accomplished against a reported 25-mph head wind in the homestretch. Irwin Rosendo rode the 5-year-old Jess Good Candy gelding for trainer James Gonzales III.

Volcoms Favorite earned $29,505 from his first stakes win, as well as a berth in the October 26 Lip Chip LLC Distance Challenge Championship (G1) at Albuquerque Downs. The gelding was bred In Oklahoma by George P. Mitchell II, and he is out of Volcoms Delight, a winning and stakes placed daughter of the First Down Dash stallion Volcom. His second dam, the Dean Miracle mare Lethal Delight, won the '09 Shue Fly Stakes (RG1) at Sunland Park.

All told, Volcoms Favorite has won five of his 21 races -- including four of 11 at the 870-yard distance -- and he has banked $145,675.

Reigning distance champion The Grand Legend, the odds-on favorite, ran third, 3 1/4 lengths behind Volcoms Favorite.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHA Racing on Twitter, "like" Q-Racing on Facebook, and visit www.aqha.com/racing.