Page 131 - May 2021

Rosenberg, Texas. “When I saw him, I said, ‘That’s my top pick. This is the one.’ ”
Marquez chose a good prospect. Trained
by Kelly Heltzel, San Lorenzo Tay debuted in
a maiden race at Remington Park on March
19, winning by a neck. He returned in the first night of trials for the Oklahoma-Bred Futurity, and despite stumbling and being bumped, he scored by 2-lengths. The time was just fast enough for him to qualify for the final with the final clocking from that night.
Juan Pulido rode San Lorenzo Tay in his first two races, but he qualified Mr Apollo Jess as the fastest and stuck with that runner, who went off as the even-money favorite. Heltzel trains Mr Apollo Jess for the Zitro Racing Corp. Agustin Silva inherited the mount on San Lorenzo Tay, and bettors sent the gelding off as the 7-1 fourth choice.
San Lorenzo Tay drew post eight, fortuitous given the trouble that occurred inside of him. Several horses broke inwardly, and Mr Apollo Jess got squeezed between runners to the point that Pulido nearly lost his balance. Mr Apollo
Jess never gave up and finished a good fifth, considering his trouble.
Meanwhile, San Lorenzo Tay was in the clear and ran extremely professionally. He broke third, quickly went to the front, and won by a half- length in :16.668 for 330 yards.
“He was just awesome from gate to wire,” said Silva. “Whatever I asked him to do, he did.”
Silva was winning the race for the second time. He piloted Teller Baja in 2016.
Cox bred San Lorenzo Tay from his winning homebred mare Shes Dashin First, a half-sister
to stakes winners Jess Courageous, White Or Wrong, Bye Bye Jess, and Shes Jess Dynamite. All are out of graded stakes winner Shes Jess Special. Shes Dashin First has produced four winners
in seven starters, including 2017 Sam Houston Distaff Stakes winner Thriving Ivory, a full sister to San Lorenzo Tay.
Efrain Mendez’s homebred EM High Country (Docs Best Card-Johns Party Girl) ran second under jockey Rodrigo Vallejo. Tammy Johnson trains the gelding, who qualified the fourth overall fastest while winning his trial in his racing debut.
Trapper Jon (Freighttrain B-CP The Flirt), a homebred for James Sills, finished third. Jimmy Brooks rode the colt for trainer Eddie D. Willis. Trapper Jon won his trial as his racing debut, qualifying seventh overall.
Completing the field were Nash Ridge (Jess Good Candy-Made To Dash), Mr Apollo Jess (Apollitical Jess-A Delightful Legacy), Reimagine (Freighttrain B-Splendifferous), AJs Tres Of Paint (Apollitical Jess-A Tres Of Paint), Dreams Of The Heart (Coronado Cartel-Answer The Dream), First Prize Dash 2 (Apollitical Jess-PYC First Prize Dash) and Especially Jess (Apollitical Jess- Especially Tres).
“When I saw him, I said, ‘That’s my top pick. This is the one.’ ” -Rogelio Marquez Jr.
RACING NEWS
SPEEDHORSE May 2021 129