Q-RACING—OCTOBER 23, 2021—Jose Cervantes' JC Wild King, a homebred bay son of world champion Apollitical Jess, won Saturday's 400-yard, $154,750 Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G3) for sophomores at Albuquerque Downs.

Prepped by Fidencio Jimenez and sent to post as the 5-2 second choice, JC Wild King defeated 2-1 favorite Bad Monkey by 1 1/4 lengths while leading at every call. James Flores rode the sorrel gelding.

JC Wild King was coming off of a wire-to-wire, half-length victory as the odds-on favorite in the October 3, $50,000 Adequan Will Rogers Derby Challenge Stakes. The gelding was bred in Oklahoma, and he is out of Oh Cherokee Rose, a stakes-winning daughter of champion Stoli who ran third in the 2007 Remington Park Futurity (G1).

Raced in two states, JC Wild King has won five of 12 starts -- including the July 24, 350-yard Speedhorse Derby at Fair Meadows at Tulsa -- and the $71,185 winner's share of the purse from his fourth career stakes score increased his earnings to $174,605.

The gelding ended his 2-year-old campaign with a second-place finish, a neck behind winner Bad Monkey, in the 350-yard, $126,000 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2) at Albuquerque Downs.

Bad Monkey, winner of last year's John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship(G2) earned $30,950 for second. Owned-trained-and-bred by Dean Frey, Bad Monkey is a multiple stakes winning son of Capo de Cap from the Mr Eye Opener mare Girls Eye Too. Benito Baca rode the California-bred earner of more than $201,700.

Tom Maher, Paul Luedemann and Dick Tobin's Apollitical Hero finished half-a-length back to earn $15,475 for third. Trainer Jason Olmstead named jockey Edwin Escobedo to ride the Oklahoma-bred son of leading sire Apollitical Jess from the Valiant Hero mare Belle Of Valor. Bred by Canadian River QH LLC, Apollitical Hero has earned $62,450 in 17 career starts.

The Prize Ferarri, Painted Snowclouds, FDD Princess, Seattle Cartel, Jet Wings One, Fortunes Wild Blood, and Rowdysvision completed the order of finish.

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Look for complete coverage of the Bank of America Challenge Championships at AQHA's website and on racing social media.