Fastest qualifier An Ocean Rocket sprinted to a nose victory in Friday’s Grade 3, $52,560 Adequan New Mexico Derby Challenge at Ruidoso Downs.

Racing for Ronnie Armstrong and trained by C. Dwayne “Sleepy” Gilbreath, An Ocean Rocket covered 400 yards on a sealed track in :19.658 under jockey Joe Martinez. The victory was the sorrel gelding’s fourth in seven races and first stakes score.

An Ocean Rocket was bred in Texas by Muller Racing LLC, and he became the seventh stakes winner from two crops sired by Ocean Runaway, a Grade 1-winning son of First Down Dash and the sport’s champion 2-year-old in 2004 and champion sophomore colt the following season. Now 8 and a full brother to 2006 world champion Wave Carver, Ocean Runaway has sired the earners of more than $1.7 million from 149 starters. He stands at 6666 Ranch at Guthrie, Texas.

An Ocean Rocket is also one of two winners from three starters produced by Bebes Ronas Rocket, a winning 13-year-old daughter of the Windy Ryon stallion Ronas Ryon. The gelding’s second dam, the winning Rocket’s Magic mare This Dolls A Rocket, ran second in the $185,800 Louisiana QHBA Futurity (R) at Delta Downs in 1992. A 1990 foal, This Dolls A Rocket foaled Athena Raquel, a filly by champion Mr Jess Perry who won eight stakes in Texas and Louisiana from 2004-06.

An Ocean Rocket traces back to his fourth dam, Gallinda, a 1967 foal by the Depth Charge (TB) stallion Dividend. Gailinda produced 10 starters, including 1983 Delta 550 Handicap winner Turf Clown.

The $24,703 winner’s share of the New Mexico Derby Challenge purse increased An Ocean Rocket’s earnings to $47,418, and the victory earned the gelding a spot in the November 19, $200,000 Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G1) at Fair Grounds Racecourse in New Orleans.

An Ocean Rocket broke his maiden going 300 yards in his career debut at Remington Park on April 10, 2009. The gelding made his first 3-year-old start at Remington Park on March 28, and he responded with a 1 ¼-length victory as the 3-1 favorite in a 300-yard, $10,000 claiming sprint.

Sent to post at odds of 23-1 in the first of three New Mexico Derby Challenge trials on June 17, An Ocean Rocket defeated Nikomon by a nose and posted the fastest qualifying time by 5/1000ths of a second.

Silk Mountain, the 17-10 favorite, ran second and was followed by Nikomon, Finding Chicks, Cowboys Cartel, Gilded Gold, Streakin With Style, Dashen Corona, and Effortless Jessie.

Silk Mountain banked $10,512 for owners Joel Valeriano and Joel Valeriano Jr. A gray filly by champion Panther Mountain, Silk Mountain won last year’s $15,000 Joe B. Turner Memorial Stakes at Lone Star Park, and she was a finalist in the Manor Downs (G1) and Sunland Park Winter (G2) futurities.

Nikomon is a maiden colt by the Mr Jess Perry stallion Pretty Boy Perry. Nikomon earned $5,256 for his owner, Francisco Yanez of Denver City, Texas.