Page 188 - July 2022

RACING NEWS
Mountain Top Juvenile
JESS EMOTIONS
Mby John Moorehouse
aking her third out in stakes company, Jess
Emotions scored her first victory in the $50,000 Mountain Top Juvenile, held June 19 at Ruidoso Downs. The race was held for horses that failed to qualify for the Mountain Top Futurity.
Gustavo Cadena Jr. owns Jess Emotions, a two- year-old filly who previously competed in the New Mexico Spring Fling and finished third in May’s New Mexico Breeders Futurity-G3 at SunRay Park. Curiously, Jess Emotions entered this race winless— but still as the post-time favorite at 2.7-1 odds. Oddsmakers were proved right.
Jess Emotions broke on top from the 2-post and led at every call of the 350-yard event. The filly led
by a head at the first call, widened the separation to
a 1/2-length entering the stretch, then doubled her advantage to sport a 1-length margin as she reached the wire. Jess Emotions was bred in New Mexico by Mike Abraham out of stakes winner The Blues Girl.
David Gomez-Barraza trains Jess Emotions, who finished the race in :17.602 for a 91 speed index.
She now holds a $36,317 career bankroll, with the $21,000 prize from this race. Sergio Dominguez had the riding assignment.
Nine Walks (Big Daddy Cartel-Ella Sophia) finished a steady second for owners Jay Glover and Gary Stallings. The Casey Lambert trainee had Francisco Calderon in the irons. Doing Something Good (Big Daddy Cartel-Start Somethin Bad) placed third under Ricky Ramirez for owner J and SM, Inc. and trainer Fred Danley. The remaining order of finish was JM Jazzlynn (JM Specialwynn-Built In Flash), Drinking Champane (Big Daddy Cartel-Astica), Ima Alertly (A Royal Jess-Camelia), The Panther King (Eye Am King- Panther Not A Kitty), CQ Featured First (TF Featured Effort-Lluvia Ligera First), Flashy Babe (Chicks Regard- Riverside Babe) and Sun Harvest (Big Daddy Cartel- Ella Sophia). Jesses Wish was scratched.
Jess Burner Stakes
FLY ON DOWN
Dby Michael Cusortelli
alia Aranda’s Fly On Down led at every call en
route to a 3/4-length victory in the $30,000 Jess Burner Stakes at Ruidoso Downs on June 5.
Racing into a reported 9-mph head wind, Fly On Down covered 400 yards in :20.201. Juan Pulido rode the 4-year-old son of One Handsome Man for trainer Ebert Munoz.
Fly On Down was bred by Terry and Nan Lane, and he was purchased by Aranda as a yearling for $7,000 at the 2019 New Mexico-Bred Sale.
Campaigned in New Mexico and Texas, Fly On Down has won four of 17 races, and the $18,000 winner’s share of this purse from his first stakes victory pushed his bankroll to $139,265.
The colt’s stakes record includes a second- place finish in the $100,000 Mesilla Valley Speed Handicap-RG2 at Sunland Park on Feb. 12, and he was also a finalist in last year’s $352,547 Zia Futurity-RG1 at Ruidoso Downs.
The stallion is out of lightly raced Never The Same, who has produced four winners from seven starters. Fly On Down is her first stakes winner.
No Mires A La Luna (First Moonflash-Dont Looke Ethel) ran second and earned $6,000 for his owner, Byron R. Woodard. Jockey Noe Garcia Jr. rode the homebred 6-year-old gelding for trainer Marc Jungers.
Tina Katarina (First Moonflash-Catch This Scooter) finished third, 1 1/2-lengths behind Fly On Down. Rider Jose Ruiz was aboard the 4-year- old filly for owner Edilberto Estrada Cano and trainer Jesus E. Marquez.
Effortless Candy Cat (TF Featured Effort-Rime Has A Chick) ran fourth and was followed by Tuco Salamanca (TF Featured Effort-The Rainbow Rea), My Sweety Pie (Big Daddy Cartel-Siete Menudos), Wisho (Next Bandit-Little Bit Southern) and Money Flashin (First Moonflash-Royal Chamisa).
Rita Danley Distaff Stakes
FANNCEE
Fby Michael Cusortelli
anncee, a homebred daughter of Big Daddy
Cartel, was successful in her first start in 11 months, as the filly opened her 4-year-old campaign with a wire-to-wire, 1-length victory in the $30,000 Rita Danley Distaff Stakes for New Mexico-bred fillies and mares at Ruidoso Downs on June 25.
Prepped by Wes Giles for breeders/owner Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms, Fanncee covered 350 yards on a sloppy track in :17.451 while racing against a reported 10-mph head wind. Adrian Ramos rode the gray filly, who banked $18,000 from her first lifetime stakes win.
The filly has won three of 10 starts and has earned $161,428, and her record includes a second- place finish in the 2020 New Mexico State Fair Futurity-RG3 at Albuquerque Downs.
Fanncee ended her sophomore season with a second-place finish, a nose behind winner Bigg Dee, in the $203,478 Zia Derby-RG2 for state-bred 3-year-olds at Ruidoso Downs on July 31.
The filly is out of Champion Astica, who produced eight winners from 10 starters, including Shue Fly Stakes winner Wente. Fanncee is her second stakes winner and top earner.
Crown N Royal Gal (Jesse James Jr-First Cowgirl Flash) and Hearts Mystic Rime (Hearts Miracle-Mystic Rime) finished in a dead heat for second. Noe Garcia Jr. rode Crown N Royal Gal for owner and trainer Jaime Aldavaz Sr., while Hearts Mystic Rime was ridden by Brian Barraza for owner Luis Perez and trainer Ken Grisham. Jess To Reel (Jesse James Jr-Hot For Reel), Kellys First Moon (First Moonflash-Corona Kelly), Icy Morning Breeze (Winners Version-Icy Storm), Dream Lucky Charm (Lordly Way-Go Getem Jesse), Sweet Zulu (Zulu Dragon-Sweet Sweet Jane), and Famous Julia (Dash For Famous-Julia James) completed the order of finish. Outta Debt was scratched.
Ruidoso Downs • $50,000
350 yards • :17.602 • si 91
Jess A Chicks
JESS EMOTIONS, ‘20-f.
Chicks A Blazin
Jess Satin
Corona Cartel
The Blues Girl
Run The Dash
Ruidoso Downs • $30,000
350 yards • :17.451 • si 95
Corona Cartel
Big Daddy Cartel
FANNCEE, ‘18-f. Astica
Miss Racy Eyes Jesse James Jr Alice K White
Ruidoso Downs • $30,000
400 yards • :20.201 • si 81
One Famous Eagle
One Handsome Man
FLY ON DOWN, ‘18-s.
Never The Same
Helens First Choice Strawfly Special
Justa Dance
186 SPEEDHORSE July 2022
Bailey Ivey, Ruidoso Downs
Coady Photography
Bailey Ivey, Ruidoso Downs