Preview Racing


Reigning World Champion Jessies First Down to End Season in Sunland Park Championship
Reining world champion Jesses First Down will head Sunday’s 440-yard, $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park (G1).

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Reigning World Champion Jessies First Down to End Season in Sunland Park Championship

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

SUNLAND PARK, NM—DECEMBER 28, 2018—Ted G. Abrams’ Jessies First Down, a homebred FDD Dynasty gelding and the sport’s two-time reigning world champion, will end his 7-year-old campaign in Sunday’s 440-yard, $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park (G1).

Trained by Jimmy Padgett, Jessies First Down will be making his first start since September 23, when the gelding scored a half-length victory in the 440-yard, $250,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship (G1) at Albuquerque Downs. He has won all three of his races this season, all against Grade 1 stakes company, and he has earned $391,638.

Jessies First Down drew post 9 and will be ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo. Other contenders include Major Bites, a 5-year-old Jesse James Jr gelding trained by Jimmy Guerra for owner Israel Bordier. Major Bites has won five of his last six starts, and he is coming off of a one-length win in the 440-yard, $200,000 Zia Park Championship (G1) at Zia Park on December 2.

Major Bites drew post 6 and will be ridden by Jose Alvarez.

Juan F. Martinez-Labastida’s Jess Bein The Hero is coming off of a second-place finish to Major Bites in the Zia Park Championship. A 5-year-old Valiant Hero stallion trained by Josue Ponce, Jess Bein The Hero has won three of his four starts this season, including the 440-yard, $68,000 Bank of America Sam Houston Championship Challenge (G2) at Sam Houston Race Park in April.

Jess Bein The Hero drew post 2 and will be ridden by Manuel Gutierrez.

The complete lineup for The Championship at Sunland Park, including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

  1. High Rate Of Motion (Felipe Garcia-Luna), 12-1
  2. Jess Bein The Hero (Manuel Gutierrez), 9-2
  3. Valiant Rogue (Alonso Rivera), 9-1
  4. Apolltical Chad (Adrian Ramos), 15-1
  5. Mi Amor Secreto (Santos Carrizales), 10-1
  6. Major Bites (Jose A. Alvarez), 3-1
  7. Papaws Paint (Bonifacio Perez), 20-1
  8. Mr Pyc To You (Jaime P. Leos), 15-1
  9. Jessies First Down (Rodrigo Vallejo), 8-5
  10. Firing Tools (Daniel Amaya), 15-1
  11. AE-Katella Deli (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 20-1
  12. AE-Boogies Special Dash (Adrian Ramos), 30-1

All Sunland Park races can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.