Page 224 - Speedhorse April 2019

La Primera Del Ano Derby-G3
TERRIFIC FIRST DOWN
by Tracy Gantz
The Parsons family has done very well cross- ing the bloodlines of First Down Dash and Mr Jess Perry. That has particularly succeeded at Los Alamitos in the La Primera Del Ano Derby-G3. In 2018 they won with
A Political Lady, by the Mr Jess Perry stallion Apollitical Jess out of a First Down Dash mare. This year they won with Terrific First Down, by the First Down Dash stallion FDD Dynasty out of a Mr Jess Perry mare.
Terrific First Down has “always been a special filly,” said Jay Parsons.
She certainly proved that in the $210,000 La Primera Del Ano Derby-G3, first by qualifying the fastest in the March 9 trials and then in winning the March 30 final.
In the La Primera Del Ano Derby trials, Terrific First Down broke on top and was never headed, despite being bumped. She finished the heat a full length in front of the rest of the field.
Eduardo Nicasio has piloted Terrific First Down in all but one of her starts, and he
was back aboard for the La Primera Del Ano Derby finals. Breaking from the eight-post, she raced in second early and then took
the lead, pulling away for a length victory. Terrific First Down clocked the 400 yards in :19.803, posting a 92 speed index.
Christopher O’Dell trains Terrific First Down for the Parsons Family Limited Partnership. O’Dell had a great weekend because the very next night he saddled Powerful Favorite
to win the $211,000 El Primero Del Ano Derby-G3 for the Rosenthal Ranch.
Jockey Cody Jensen saw Terrific First Down last year and told O’Dell that he had a very good prospect.
“I took my time with her,” stated O’Dell. “I waited and waited and waited. I ran her and she won. I ran her back, and she went wicked fast.”
But then Terrific First Down lost her confidence. She followed that with a barn mishap, where she flipped over and injured her withers.
“It took some time, but now she’s starting to put it together,” said O’Dell. “She’s one
of those that can break pretty good, stay out of trouble, and finish strong. A lot of horses can’t go 400 or 440, but she can.”
Terrific First Down also had some panic issues with the starting gate.
“We are doing some things that are working pretty well with her,” said O’Dell. “We’ll keep doing our best.”
The good horses that
the Parsons family breeds and race have earned them several recent awards, including the 2018 Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Breeders Special Achievement Award.
“To be able to do this with family is a big deal,” said Char Parsons after the La Primera victory. “That night was a total surprise in so many ways.”
2018 La Primera Del Ano Derby win- ner A Political Lady was named the AQHA Champion Three-Year-Old Filly and then also received the award as the PCQHRA Three-Year-Old Filly of the Year.
The Parsons family first won the La Primera Del Ano Derby in 2002 with Mini Rock. Jay and Polly Parsons raced her. Today, their children, Jay and Cindy, head up the family operation, along with their spouses, Char Parsons and Brian Hatley. Parsons Ranch is a 30-acre farm in Sanger, California.
Los Alamitos $210,000 • 400 yards :19.803 • si 92
First Down Dash
FDD Dynasty
Dinastia Toll BRZ
TERRIFIC FIRST DOWN, 16-f.
Mr Jess Perry
Terrific Energy
First Down Energy
222 SPEEDHORSE, April 2019
Terrific First Down & Eduardo Nicasio win the $210,000 La Primera Del Ano Derby-G3 by a length
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