Page 106 - June_2023

ROAD TO THE HALL OF FAME
The road Feature Mr Jess and Jess Louisiana Blue took to the LQHBA Hall of Fame split with each taking a different path. Feature Mr Jess was sired by Mr Jess Perry and out of Brenda Feature by Truckle Feature, and Brenda Feature was out
Feature Mr Jess’ Champions include...
of Brenda Beauty. They formed a partnership with Jim Helzer in the middle of the colt’s two- year-old year to race. He earned of $539,327 with wins in the Rainbow Futurity-G1 and Rainbow Derby-G1, a second in the Dash for Cash Futurity-G1 and thirds in the Remington Park
Futurity-G1 and the All American Derby-G1. They retired Feature Mr Jess to stand at JEH
Stallion Station in Texas, to sire foals with earnings of $25 million and over 100 stakes horses with 72 stakes winners and seven AQHA Champions. His Champions include Heartswideopen, Jess You And I, Feature Mr Bojangles, Stylish Jess BR, Brenda Beautiful, Jesscuzican and Wahoo. Feature Mr
Jess has sired mares that have produced foals that have won over $20 million, including Flash And Roll, a 3-time Champion and winner of the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity-G1 and Golden State Million Futurity-G1.
Feature Mr Jess died at the age of 10, but he left a great legacy as a sire. When they inducted him into the LQHBA Hall of Fame, J. E. had this to
say. “Feature Mr Jess was a big horse with incredible talent and could win going short or long. He had a wonderful disposition; a 5-year-old girl could lead him down the shed row. His passing at such a young age was heartbreaking for everyone at Jumonville Farms as his success in just eight crops was comparable to legendary Quarter Horses Corona Cartel, Mr Jess Perry and One Famous Eagle.”
He then added this, “It’s not what we lost, but what we were blessed with for the time we had Feature Mr Jess as a racehorse and a stallion. What he accomplished was just phenomenal!”
Jess Louisiana Blue was the first stakes winner and first foal by Mr Jess Perry and out of The Louisiana Girl. The Louisiana Girl was the daughter of Louisiana Slew and Little Blue Sheep. Jess Louisiana Blue took a little different road to the LQHBA Hall of Fame. Feature Mr Jess was successful from the beginning, winning races like the Rainbow Futurity-G1. But Jess Louisiana Blue started with a cut to his fetlock as a colt,
and it nearly cost him his life. They would work to get him healthy enough to race with Rodney Reed, but found he would qualify for the stakes in the trials but would disappoint in the finals. This prompted J. E. to bring him to Louisiana, and turn him over to Kenneth Roberts and they took the gamble with a late nomination to the Challenge Championship races.
The race that proved to be Jess Louisiana Blue’s greatest race was the 2002 East Challenge Championship-G2 against World Champion Tailor Fit. He not only defeated Tailor Fit
but also set a New Track Record for 440
yards in a time of :21.572. J. E. proudly talks about Janet VanBebber’s comment after the race. “Janet congratulated me on the win. She wanted me to know that was the first time Tailor Fit had been defeated when he had a lead.” Janet
4-time Champion Heartswideopen, shown winning the All American Futurity-G1.
Brenda Beautiful, shown winning the Hobbs America Futurity.
3-time Champion Jess You And I, shown winning the Champion of Champions-G1.
Jesscuzican, shown winning the West Texas Maturity-G1.
2-time Champion Feature Mr Bojangles, shown winning the Rainbow Futurity-G1.
Wahoo, shown winning the Governor’s Cup Marathon-G1.
104 SPEEDHORSE June 2023
Stylish Jess BR, shown winning the Charger Bar Handicap-G1.
Ruidoso Downs Los Alamitos Bill Pitt
Coady Photography Coady Photography Bill Pitt Los Alamitos