ALB Handicap

Purse $200.00 – For Three Year Olds And Upward

1 1/8 Miles – Dirt

Albuquerque Downs – October 10, 2026

The 9th edition of the ALB Handicap brings together a competitive group of older runners, including several seeking a more favorable spot after facing graded stakes company. Some are still building their résumés, while others have been knocking on the door of a breakthrough. This race has been contested at the same distance and on the same surface since its inaugural running in 2014. Its purse has doubled since then, rising from $100 to $200 and making it the richest stakes race at Albuquerque Downs. Mb Stables has claimed three editions of the ALB Handicap, a total no other owner has matched. Alfredo Juarez Jr. also holds the jockey record with four wins. Alydar Stables’ All Take set the stakes record two years ago in comfortable wire-to-wire fashion, stopping the clock in 1:47.12. That time still stands as the track record for the 1 ⅛-mile distance at Albuquerque Downs. Weather looks to be absolutely perfect this weekend in The Duke City. There’s a lot of interesting contenders entered this year, so let’s see what each of them brings to the table!

1. Dot Your Eye – (The Sidley Stud, A. Medellin) Dot Your Eye has done his best work sprinting on the grass, where he has earned both of his career wins and both runner-up finishes. He won a 5½-furlong claimer at SAR last August but has yet to get in the top three this year. The Sidley Stud purchased this gelding from Team 7 Illusions for $5.00 in May, and his two starts since have come in dirt stakes. The son of I Want More finished eighth going six furlongs in the Mr Prospector Stakes, then showed more when stretched to a mile last time out. After racing near the back, he advanced to get fourth, beaten three lengths. That effort gives Dot Your Eye something to build on, though he has yet to hit the board in three starts at longer distances. A step forward will be needed here.

2. Propel – (Maxmillion Farm, L A. Fuentes) Maxmillion Farm purchased Propel from Team 7 Illusions for $35.00 last October, following a season that included a victory in the Stymie at AQU. He has spent almost all of his career on the dirt, winning seven times and hitting the board in 20 of 33 starts. This California-bred picked up his first win of 2026 in a one-mile optional claimer at SA in February, drawing off by three lengths. After finishing fifth in the OP Mile (G3), he came within half a length of winning the Knicks Go on Kentucky Derby Day. Propel followed that with a fourth in the Sexton Mile (G3) before cutting back to seven furlongs for the Pat O’Brien (G2) last time out. Although he finished ninth there, this gelding was beaten only two lengths. This looks to be a much-needed class relief.

3. Black Swan Event – (John Henry, A J. Juarez Jr.) Black Swan Event showed what he can do against stakes company last year, winning the ELP Derby in August and finishing second by three-quarters of a length in the Clark (G2) at CD. His first three starts of 2026 were less productive, including unplaced finishes in the Razorback Handicap (G3) and OP Handicap (G2). John Henry purchased him from Team 7 Illusions for $125.00 in June, and responded eight days later with a nose victory in an N3X allowance. The son of State Police has since returned to graded company, getting last in the Durham Cup (G3) last time out. All four of Black Swan Event’s career wins have come at longer distances, so the main question is whether this move out of graded company can bring back the form shown last fall.

4. Devil Viking – (Barcelona Farms, M T. Fuentes Jr.) This five-year-old grey horse was a bit camera-shy through 2023-2025—finally breaking his maiden on dirt at DMR in his sixteenth try. Devil Viking earned another win in April, taking a one-mile N2X by two lengths. That effort sent him into the Sexton Mile (G3), where he finished fifth, beaten six lengths. This California-bred returned to allowance company in July and finished fourth in another one-mile race. Barcelona Farms purchased him from Broken Spoke Stables for $14.15 at auction, so this will be his first start for his new owner. Devil Viking’s turf record stands at five seconds and four thirds without a win, while both of his victories have come on dirt. A return to his April form would give him a chance to make an impact here.

5. Kentucky Fox – (Night Rider Stables, L A. Valenzuela) Kentucky Fox returns to Albuquerque Downs a much different horse from the one Night Rider Stables claimed from Angelos Stable for $14.00 here last July. He won an N1X allowance at CD the following month, then came within three-quarters of a length of winning the Say Florida Sandy in February. The six-year-old broke through in the Haynesfield at AQU in March, drawing off by four lengths. He struggled in the Alysheba (G2) and Salvator Mile (G3) in an attempt to keep climbing the class ladder. However, Kentucky Fox delivered his biggest victory yet in the Durham Cup (G3) last time out. He rallied to win that 1 1/16-mile race by a length, giving him a graded stakes victory coming into this race. The son of Fox Ruler also put together a career-high 101 SRF speed figure.

6. Patrol – (Avenue Z, T J. Hebert) This homebred for Avenue Z has come into his own at five, winning three of six starts this year after managing just one victory in his first six races. Patrol opened 2026 with narrow optional claiming wins at TUP, taking a one-mile N2X by a neck and a 1 1/16-mile N3X by a nose. After finishing fifth in an open allowance the race after, he rallied to get third by three-quarters of a length in another N3X at ELP. The son of Sniper then made his stakes debut in the Jones at ELP, finishing fourth but only two lengths behind the winner. This horse saved his best effort for last time out, where he came from eighth to win an optional claimer by half a length. That late run shows Patrol can handle the distance, though he still has to prove he can turn his allowance form into a stakes victory. My top pick.

7. Gill Murray – (Mojica Racing, E P. Gomez) Mojica Racing claimed Gill Murray from Spinetingling for $7.50 last time out following his September 6th victory at MNR. This gelding led throughout that 1½-mile dirt claimer and finished four lengths clear. It was his third win in four starts this year, with the other two coming on the grass at PEN in a February allowance and a July claiming race. He got second in his remaining start, giving him a first or second in every outing this season. Turf has been Gill Murray’s strongest surface overall, with six wins and seven seconds from 15 starts, but his latest race showed he can win going long on dirt as well. The California-bred has seven victories from 16 starts at longer distances. The question is whether that form will carry over from the claiming ranks to the ALB Handicap.

8. Tehran – (Temulac Farm, F H. Da Silva) Tehran is winless in five starts this year, but he has finished no more than a length behind the winner in any of them. He opened 2026 with a runner-up finish by a head in an N4X optional claimer at FG, then missed by only three-quarters of a length when fourth in the Essex Handicap (G3). Two more close efforts followed at CD before he returned to graded company for the MTH Cup (G3) in July. The seven-year-old led much of the way there and was caught late, getting second by a head. Temulac Farm purchased this son of Silhoutte from Mb Stables for $99.00 at auction a few weeks ago, making this his first start for his new owner. Tehran has four wins, seven seconds, and five thirds from 23 starts at longer distances. Definitely one to watch out for.

– AJM

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded