Multiple stakes winner Lynder 16 winning her second Q-Racing Video Ruidoso Downs Distaff Challenge on Saturday afternoon.

© Jake Rogers / Ruidoso Downs

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—AUGUST 28, 2021—Multiple graded stakes winner Lynnder 16 won her third consecutive race of the year as the defending champion of the $30,481 Q-Racing Video Ruidoso Downs Distaff Challenge on Saturday afternoon.

Lynnder 16 ($2.60) gained an early one-length lead and maintained it to finish the 400-yard stake in :19.755 and earn a 93 speed index.

The post-time favorite 5-year-old mare was ridden by Edwin Escobedo for trainer Jason Olmstead and owners Tom Maher and Richard Tobin. She was bred in Oklahoma by James and Marilyn Helzer, by Apollitical Jess and out of the Corona Cartel mare Tinys Corona Queen.

The 2020 Distaff Challenge Championship (G1) winner has already punched her ticket for the 2021 Challenge Championships with a win in the Q-Racing Video Canterbury Park Distaff Challenge (G3) last month. Her first start of the year was an allowance win, also at Canterbury, and she is undefeated in 2021.

Lynnder 16 won the Remington Park Oklahoma Bred Futurity (RG2) in 2018 and qualified to the All American Futurity (G1) later that summer. She qualified to the Ruidoso Derby (G1) as a 3-year-old and competed in multiple graded stakes in her 4-year-old campaign.

Lynnder 16 has won 14 races in 27 starts and has banked an impressive $733,825 in her career, including Saturday’s share of $30,481.

Dark Moon and Jorge Torres led the rest of the pack to finish second for trainer Clinton Crawford and owner Cavenaugh Quarter Horses LLC.

The 4-year-old mare was bred in New Mexico by Mike Abraham and Grant Farms, by First Moonflash and out of Special Dark Ivory, by Ivory James.

Like Lynnder 16, Dark Moon also raced in the Q-Racing Video Canterbury Park Distaff (G3) in her most recent start, finishing fourth. She won an allowance race at Remington and competed in the Decketta Stakes (G2) earlier this year.

Dark Moon has three wins and $124,550 earned in 15 career starts. She qualified to the Mountain Top New Mexico Futurity (RG3) as a 2-year-old and to the Zia Derby (RG2) as a 3-year-old.

Sinsational Tacha and Hector Aldrete completed the trifecta for trainer Martin Orona, Sr. and owner Alejandro Arzabala, Jr. The 6-year-old mare was bred in Texas by Bob and Jerry Gaston, by Tempting Das and out of Miss Sin Tacha, by Mr Jess Perry.

Sinsational Tacha has run in the regional qualifier at Ruidoso three consecutive years. She is a multiple stakes winner with $102,707 earned in 29 efforts and is the two-time champion of the Pitre GMC Distaff Stakes at Albuquerque.

Completing the field were Great Hocks, Cartels Blessing, Elegant Tres and Apollitical B Birdie.