Racing


Jessies First Down Upsets Zoomin Effortlessly, Gets Second Straight Grade 1 Win
Jessies First Down, under jockey Rodrigo Vallejo, picking up his second straight Grade 1 win in the $150,000 Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship Wednesday afternoon.

© Coady Photography
Jessies First Down Upsets Zoomin Effortlessly, Gets Second Straight Grade 1 Win

HOBBS, NM—NOVEMBER 23, 2016—Coming off a win in the Refrigerator Handicap at Lone Star Park last month, Jessies First Down turned the tables on his All-American Gold Cup(G1) rival Zoomin Effortlessly to win the $150,000 Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship by a head Wednesday afternoon at Zia Park. Alis Jumpn finished 1½ lengths off the leaders in third.

Under jockey Rodrigo Vallejo, Jessies First Down put in a sharp effort to take the lead earlier and hold of late bid by heavy post-time favorite Zoomin Effortlessly. The son of leading sire FDD Dynasty completed the 440 yards in :21.722 seconds, a 93-speed index.

Leading Quarter Horse trainer Judd Kearl saddled Jessies First Down to his ninth career win for owner/breeder Ted G. Abrams. Two races back, Jessies First Down finished a length off Zoomin Effortlessly in the Grade 1 All American Derby at Ruidoso Downs.

Out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Jess A Classy Lassy, the 5-year-old has compiled a (29) 9-10-1 record and used the $90,000 Zia Championship winners' purse to boost his career mark to $421,907. It has been a banner year for the bay gelding who has won seven of 10 starts this season and earned nearly $270,000.

The super consistent Zoomin Effortlessly suffered his second loss this year for owner Telesforo Perrett and trainer Edelmiro Carrizales. Santos Carrizales rides the 5-year-old son of Zoomin For Bux out of Royal Quick Affair, by Royal Quick Dash. Bred by Tommy Charbula, the multiple graded winner picked up $33,000 to boost his mark to $596,565.

Zia Park Racing Secretary Fred Hutton presents winning owner Ted Abrams, trainer Judd Kearl, jockey Rodrigo Vallejo the Zia Park Championship stakes trophy on Wednesday. © Coady Photography
Zoomin Effortlessly entered the Zia Park Championship off a win in the Albuquerque Fall Championship prior to the All-American Gold Cup victory. He also won the Grade 1 Leo Stakes at Remington Park and the Grade 1 Championship at Sunland Park earlier this year.

Multiple graded winner Alis Jumpn settled for third. The 6-year-old mare has gone winless this season but was second in the Grade 2 Lovington Stakes in her last start on November 5. Adam Tapia trains the daughter of Jumpn for owner Eloy Humberto Pena. Ridden by Jose Luis Enriquez, the sorrel mare earned $15,000 to push her career earnings total to $418,768. Don Apodaca bred Alis Jumpn in Texas from the First On The Red mare Gloria In Red.

Fly Thru Fire, Apollitical Ok, Tf Im That Guy, and Memphis D Nasty completed the field.