Three-year-old First Moonflash established a new world record for 400 yards while defeating 2007 AQHA Champion Aged Horse and Stallion Ketel Won in the G1 Championship at Sunland Park (NM) on December 28.

Saddled by Edgar Maldonando for Pierre and Leslie Amestoy and Maria Gonzalez, First Moonflash covered the distance in 18.735 seconds, eclipsing the former world record of 18.865 set by Blazin N Shakin on March 2, 2008 at Sunland Park. It was the fourth stakes victory for the New Mexico-bred champion, who has won 7 of 17 starts and earned a total of $478,788.

“Now that he knows what the break is about, he’s turned into quite a runner,” said Pierre Amestoy. “We’ll probably race him one more year, but beating the type of horses he beat here, he certainly has the credentials to stand anywhere in the country.”

Defending stakes champion Ketel Won finished second by one-half a length. His time of 18.80 seconds was the second fastest ever recorded for 400 yards and the effort pushed his lifetime earnings past $650,000.

Little Bit Of Baja, runner-up to 440-yard world record setter Jess You And I in the 2008 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos Racecourse on December 14, and one of only two Quarter Horses in history to race 440 yards in under 21 seconds, finished third in the Sunland Championship, beaten by one and one-half lengths.

Bred by Dosi and Norma Alvarez of La Union, NM, First Moonflash is one of three stakes winners from 47 starters sired by the First To Flash, 2002 AQHA champion 2-year-old colt, who was euthanized in 2005 due to injuries suffered in a non-racing accident.