Page 112 - December 2015

LQHBA Breeders’ Futurity-RG1
JESS A SAINT
by John Moorehouse
It took Jess A Saint some time to mature as a racehorse. Now, the young gelding is truly hitting his stride—and has the
signature win to prove it.
Jess A Saint ran to victory in the
$1,000,000 LQHBA Breeders’ Futurity at Evangeline Downs on Nov. 28. The first win in stakes company improved the two year old’s overall record to 3-2-0 in seven starts. Owner Julio Rios banked a handsome $445,000 payday, putting the cumulative earnings of the gelding at $464,816.
“We paid $7,200 for that horse, and he came up good,” said trainer Miguel Rodriguez, who purchased Jess A Saint at the LQHBA Yearling Sale last summer.
Jess A Saint won only one of his first five starts, also coming up short in bids to qualify for the Laddie Futurity at Delta Downs, and the All American Futurity.
“This horse is going to run,” Rodriguez said. “He just needs to mature. If he’s going to run, he’s going to run late.”
Completing the 400 yards in the LQHBA Breeders’ Futurity was no trouble, as Jess A Saint enjoyed smooth sailing running on the outside of a 10-horse field.
“His breeding, coming from
a Thoroughbred mare, helps
him a lot for those 400 yards,” Rodriguez said. “When we
drew the 10 hole, I said oh, even better. Then we had that experi-
enced rider, Raul Ramirez. He’s
been winning all the futurities for me.”
In fact, the pairing of Rodriguez and Ramirez also won the 2012 version of this race. History repeated itself, as Jess A Saint made
a clean break and was running a close second both at the first call and as he entered the stretch. From there, Jess A Saint overtook Jet Black Rogue, making it to the wire first by a 1/2-length to win what is the richest race for any breed in the state of Louisiana.
“We outran that horse,” Rodriguez said.
The stakes-winning trip took :19.845, regis- tering a 92 speed index—significantly better than the :20.134 Jess A Saint clocked in the futurity trials, which made him the 10th-fast- est qualifier. Rodriguez thinks the conditions factored in the gelding’s qualifying.
“He ended up 10th fastest, but he qualified from the last trial,” Rodriguez observed. “From the first trial to maybe the eighth or ninth, it was
dry. Then it started raining and nobody was qualifying until the last trial.”
J.E. and Bunny Jumonville bred Jess A Saint and own his dam, Laughing Saint TB. Jess A Saint is her only foal.
Ramirez said he plans to run Jess A Saint in the Mardi Gras Derby next.
Jet Black Rogue (Jet Black Patriot-Miss Jess Rogue) finished second by a neck for owner/ trainer Michael Taylor. Joe Badilla, Jr., drew the riding assignment. First Corona Down (Coronas Leaving You-Bammies Jewel) fin- ished third under Rodrigo Vallejo. Gene Cox is the owner and Trey Ellis is the trainer.
The remaining order of finish was Gone Cartel (Coronas Leaving You-Bammies Jewel), Jessa Louisiana Zoom (Jess Louisiana Blue-Zoomin For Cash), My Favorite Blue (Jess Louisiana Blue-Dasha Effort), Toastin With Coronas (Coronas Leaving You-Princess Toast), Special Coors Cartel (Oak Tree Special-Miss Coors Cartel), Coronas Mate (Coronas Leaving You-A Streakin Mate) & Gonzo Compadre (Jet Black Patriot-Susies French Toast).
110 SPEEDHORSE, December 2015
Jess A Saint (#10) & Raul Ramirez Jr. come up late to win the $1,000,000 LQHBA Breeders’ Futurity
Evangeline Downs $1,000,000 • 400 yards :19.845 • si 92
Mr Jess Perry
Jess Louisiana Blue
The Louisiana Girl
JESS A SAINT, ‘13-g.
Vindication
Laughing Saint TB
Devine Laughter
RACING NEWS
Coady Photography