Page 188 - January 2017

Championship at Sunland Park-G1
JESSIES FIRST DOWN
by Michael Cusortelli
Jessies First Down, a homebred gelding rac- ing for Ted G. Abrams of Houston, Texas, ended his 5-year-old season with a victory
in the $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park-G1 on Dec. 31.
Ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo for trainer Judd Kearl and racing on a track officially labeled “good,” Jessies First Down covered 440 yards in :21.232 and earned a 94 speed index. The gelding’s margin of victory was a nose from 2-5 favorite Zoomin Effortlessly, and the $160,200 winner’s share of the purse pushed his bankroll to $582,107.
Jessies First Down ended his 2016 cam- paign with a solid case for World Champion honors, winning three consecutive Grade 1 races including the 440-yard Refrigerator Handicap-G1 at Lone Star Park on Oct. 1 and the 440-yard Zia Park Championship-G1 in New Mexico on Nov. 23. He also won this year’s Sam Houston Classic Handicap-G1 and Miami-Dade County Stakes, as well as last year’s Hialeah Maturity. Of his total earnings, $430,042 was banked in 2016.
“He’s been training super,” said Kearl of Jessies First Down after the race. “Just when I think he can’t get any better, he does. It’s been a great year, one that I will never forget.”
Jessies First Down is out of winner Jess
A Classy Lassy, a finalist in the Rainbow Futurity-G1. She has produced 100% money earners/ROM/winners from five starters, including All American Futurity-G1 finalist Jess A Zoomin. Jessies First Down’s second dam, winner Mighty Classy Lassy, ran second in the ’98 Sam Houston Futurity-G1 and
his third dam, Miss Mighty Casady, was a finalist in six graded stakes at Los Alamitos from 1993-94. Jessies First Down traces
back to his fourth dam, Miss Mighty Mary, who won three graded stakes in California
in ’84, including the Ed Burke Memorial Futurity-G2.
Well-traveled in 2016, Jessies First Down raced at six tracks in three different states.
“He’s as fast as any horse in the United States,” said Abrams in the Sunland Park winner’s circle after this latest victory. “We never ducked the competition. He beat a lot of horses at a lot of racetracks. I think he deserves the title of World Champion.”
All told, Jessies First Down has won 10 of 27 starts, including six stakes victories. He won five stakes in 2016. He is also stakes placed in five additional races and this year
earned the title of AQHA Supreme Race Horse.
Zoomin Effortlessly (Zoomin For Bux-Royal Quick Affair) is a 6-year-old gelding who won three Grade 1 stakes in 2016, including the 440-yard $200,000 All American Gold Cup-G1 in September. Santos Carrizales rode Zoomin Effortlessly
for owner Telesforo Perrett
of Houston and trainer Edelmiro Carrizales.
Ferarri GT (PYC Paint Your Wagon- Ferarri Fast Prize) races for Javier Marquez’s J and M Racing and Farm of Monahans, Texas. A $45,000 buy at the 2014 Ruidoso Select
Yearling Sale, the 5-year- old gelding has won four
of 13 outs and has banked $157,659. Manuel Gutierrez rode Ferarri GT for trainer Paul Jones.
TF Im That Guy (First Down Dash-TF Ms Special Perry), First Valiant Sign (Valiant Hero-First Painted Sign), Rattle N Battle (Apollitical Jess-Tinys Corona Queen), Roman Soldier CD (Apollitical Jess-
Famous Phoebe), Apollitical Ok (Apollitical Jess-Taka Puna), and Specials Jess (Spit Curl Jess-Special Anywhere) completed the order of finish. TF Cajun Cartel scratched.
Sunland Park $350,000 • 440 yards :21.232 • si 94
First Down Dash
FDD Dynasty
Dinastia Toll BRZ
JESSIES FIRST DOWN, ’11-g.
Mr Jess Perry
Jess A Classy Lassy
Mighty Classy Lassy
186 SPEEDHORSE, January 2017
Jessies First Down & Rodrigo Vallejo receive every call in the $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park-G1
RACING NEWS
Coady Photography