Challenge


Champion Madewell Draws Post 6 for Grade 3, $60,000 AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge
AQHA Racing Distance Champion Madewell will face Grade 1 winner Wascallywittlewabbit in the $60,000 AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge (G3) at The Downs at Albuquerque.

© Dustin Orona Photography
Champion Madewell Draws Post 6 for Grade 3, $60,000 AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—SEPTEMBER 14, 2021—Madewell, a homebred 7-year-old Jess Jones gelding and the sport’s reigning distance champion, drew post 6 for Saturday’s 870-yard $60,000 AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge (G3) at The Downs at Albuquerque.

The 6-5 morning-line favorite, Madewell has won 10 of 35 starts -- including five of nine at Albuquerque -- and he has earned $282,828. The gelding is coming off of a wire-to-wire, 3 1/4-length victory in an 870-yard, $42,400 open-condition allowance prep at Albuquerque on August 14.

Maria Baca will ride Madewell for owners Ray Madewell and Davy Madewell and trainer Bernard Baca.

Other contenders include Wascallywittlewabbit, a 6-year-old son of Heza Motor Scooter who brings in a four-race win streak that includes a 1 1/4-length victory in the 870-yard, $64,000 Remington Distance Championship (G1) at Remington Park on May 29. Mike Joiner trains the bay gelding for owner Rogers Farms.

Wascallywittlewabbit drew post 3 and will be ridden by Benito Baca.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

  1. Hez Fabulous (Cerapio Figueroa), 5-1
  2. Nicos First Cartel (Alejandro Medellin), 7-2
  3. Wascallywittlewabbit (Benito Baca) 3-1
  4. Grey Handsome (Cody Jensen), 10-1
  5. Edelman (Miguel A. Perez), 15-1
  6. Madewell (Maria Baca), 6-5

All Downs at Albuquerque races can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.