11/19/2025
KJ Bad Moon Rising looks to finish 2025 strong in New Mexico Classic Derby
By Steven Bortstein
HOBBS - John and Kathy Lee's homebred KJ Bad Moon Rising will be seeking his second stakes win of the year Sunday at Zia Park when he loads into the starting gate as the 2-to-1 morning line favorite in the New Mexico Classic Derby, one of six stakes races on an extraordinary program of racing featuring the state's top quarter horses.
A seven-time winner and earner of more than $1.3 million will break from post two in the 400-yard dash under jockey Noe Garcia. Trained by Wes Giles, KJ Bad Moon Rising qualified for the NM Classic Derby after finishing second in his trial heat here earlier this month.
The son of KJ Mucho Macho Man won last year's NM State Fair Quarter Horse Futurity at Albuquerque Downs and was second best in the All American Futurity. Six of his seven career wins have come at today's distance.
KJ Bad Moon Rising won the NM State Fair QH Derby last month at Albuquerque Downs.
The NM Classic Derby, with a purse of $234,015, will be run as the ninth race on a 10-race card and is slated to be run at 3:41 p.m.
Drawn just inside of KJ Bad Moon Rising is Tungsten Racing Partnership's Alamos, trained by Tony Sedillo and listed as the morning line second choice at odds of 7-to-2.
The son of Eye Am King, bred by MJ Farms and slated to be ridden from the rail by Christian Ramos, narrowly topped KJ Bad Moon Rising in their trial heat here on Nov. 2. Each of his four wins this year have been in trial heats while still in search of his first career stakes victory. Alamos has five lifetime wins with earnings of more than $58,000.
Trainer Ramon Mendoza will saddle Row By Row in the NM Classic Derby, who will break from the outside post in the 10-horse field. The son of Big Daddy Cartel is also owned by Tungsten Racing Partnership and will be piloted by Sergio Becerra, Jr.
The field, with jockeys and morning line odds, for the New Mexico Classic Derby:
1 Alamos (Christian Ramos) 7/2
2 KJ Bad Moon Rising (Noe Garcia, Jr. 2-1
3 Woody Rocks (Omar Iturralde) 8-1
4 Eye For Cambria (Joseph Belloc, Jr.) 12-1
5 Myy Flashn Denali (Jesse Kevario) 15-1
6 Boot Scoots (Oscar Andrade, Jr.) 10-1
7 One Oh Too (Emilio Tapia) 20-1
8 Big Allstar (Eugenio Navarrete, Jr.) 6-1
9 Benton Lane (Jacob Enriquez) 20-1
10 Row By Row (Sergio Becerra, Jr.) 6-1
Also Eligible
11 Two Macho For You (James Flores) 20-1
Photo of KJ Bad Moon Rising courtesy Coady Media
