Page 128 - May 2016

La Primera Del Ano Derby-G3
JESS GOOD REASON
by Tracy Gantz
Atibia fracture as a two year old and some
issues with the gate delayed Jess Good Reason’s racing debut. However, it may have been a blessing
in disguise because the filly is developing into an outstanding three year old, as evidenced by her vic- tory in the La Primera Del Ano Derby-G3 on at Los Alamitos on April 3.
“There were a couple of little things that make you have patience,” said trainer Paul Jones. “She showed a lot of ability, and luckily everything came together. She’s doing good in the gate now and she’s healthy.”
Roberto Hernandez, who has ridden Jess Good Reason in all of her starts, partnered her in their trial, which she aced by 2 1/4-lengths as the fastest qualifier. In the final, she broke second for Hernandez and took the lead after just a couple of strides. No one got close to her, as she won by a 3/4-length in :19.687 for the 400 yards.
“This is my first big stakes win,” said Hernandez. “It’s an emotional win for me. I have to thank the owner and trainer for their faith in me. This was not an easy win. Winning a race is tough and you’re always facing the toughest jockeys in the sport. I feel blessed to have won this race.”
Jones trains Jess Good Reason for John and Cina Sperry.
“This win is great,” said John Sperry. “You can’t get any better than this.”
In seven starts, the filly has five wins and two seconds. She won the 2015 Holiday Handicap and finished second in the Los Alamitos Winter Derby-G1.
“She was unlucky to lose in the Winter Derby,” said Jones. “She was flying at the end of that one. If she would have gotten a little better start, she would have won the Winter Derby, too.”
Jones played an instrumental role in the Sperrys acquiring Jess Good Reason.
“A friend of mine from Oklahoma called me and said that one of his clients had the mare and baby for sale,” Jones said. “My friend knew I had trained Good Reason SA. John ended up only buying the baby.”
Good Reason SA, the sire of Jess Good Reason, competed at Los Alamitos from 2009-11 and earned $1,446,727. He was named Champion Aged Horse and Champion Aged Stallion of 2011.
“She’s fast, and she’s got a big stride—a lot like her dad,” said Jones of Jess Good Reason. “It’s amazing how good he’s producing.”
Jones, who continues to win the national Champion Trainer title year after year, has trained for John Sperry since the early 1990s. They have collaborated on such horses as multiple graded stakes winner Inthetwinkleofaneye.
“John Sperry and John Bettencourt are two owners who have been with me the longest,” Jones said. “John is a great guy. He’s been really good to me back when I didn’t have a lot of horses. He really
supported me and would give me horses to train.”
Preston and Karen Cloud bred Jess Good Reason in Oklahoma from winner Jess Call Me Tieing. The mare has pro- duced three winners from four starters, including Make It Jess, who finished second in the 2013 Black Gold 330 Futurity-RG3.
EG High Desert Farms’ Jess Ravin (Corona Cartel-Jessica Ravin) ran second for jockey Jesus Ayala & trainer Yanet Rodriguez. A two-time winner, Jess Ravin ran second in her La
Primera Del Ano Derby trial
Cesar DeAlba piloted First N Final (Favorite
Cartel-Tiny First Down) to third for trainer Valentin Zamudio and owner Hilda Torres. Zamudio claimed First N Final out of a win for $10,000 last October, and the filly has run first, second, or third in six subsequent starts.
Completing the field were Miss Special
Regard (Chicks Regard-The Special Side), Shes A Temptation (First Down Dash-A Tempting Chick), Crooked Path (Favorite Cartel-Tahma Hawk),
Bo Dash Back (Bodacious Dash-Dash Back To Me), Time For Jess (Apollitical Jess-Coronation Time), I Wont Give Up (Hawkinson-Gimme Back Mybullets), and One Sweet Runaway (One Sweet Jess-DLT Runaway).
Los Alamitos $227,100 • 400 yards :19.687 • si 93
Favorite Trick TB
Good Reason SA
Queen Of Appeals
JESS GOOD REASON, ‘13-f.
Feature Mr Jess
Jess Call Me Tieing
Call Me Tieing
126 SPEEDHORSE, May 2016
Jess Good Reason & Roberto Hernandez win the $227,100 La Primera Del Ano Derby-G3
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Los Alamitos