Challenge


Jess Leaving Fast Draws Away to John Deere Retama Juvenile Challenge Win
Jess Leaving Fast, under jockey Nestor Duran, winning the $95,220 John Deere Retama Park Juvenile Challenge on Saturday night.

© Coady Photography
Jess Leaving Fast Draws Away to John Deere Retama Juvenile Challenge Win

SAN ANTONIO, TX—AUGUST 18, 2018—Jess Leaving Fast lived up to his name in the $95,220 John Deere Retama Park Juvenile Challenge on Saturday night. The colt gained an early lead and maintained it to win the 350-yard final by three-quarters of a length.

Final time for the feature race of the card was 17.518. Nestor Duran piloted the son of Heza Fast Dash for the first time and earned a 105 speed index.

Jess Leaving Fast ($10.20) was the fourth fastest qualifier from five trials on July 28. He turned the tables on fastest qualifier Wii B, who defeated Jess Leaving Fast by three-quarters of a length in their trial and returned to run second in the final.

The winning connections of Jess Leaving Fast accept the John Deere Retama Juvenile Challenge stakes trophy Saturday night. © Coady Photography

Jess Leaving Fast is trained by Santiago Riojas, Jr. for owner Double H Racing Investment LLC. Bob and Jerry Gaston bred Jess Leaving Fast in Texas, out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Jessa Leaving You.

This was the first career stakes win for Jess Leaving Fast, who broke his maiden impressively in a three-length victory at Sam Houston and had run second in his other two career starts, both trials. He now has lifetime earnings of $49,981 to date.

Fastest qualifier Wii B was in search of his third consecutive win in the John Deere regional qualifier. The final was also his first stakes appearance.

Wii B was ridden by Eddie Sanchez for trainer Jose Luis Sanchez III and owner Arturo Ibarra. He made up ground throughout the race to close on the winner, and finished a neck in front of third-place finisher This Guys a Volcom. His time in second place was 17.638, fast enough for a speed index of 101.

Wii B was bred in Texas by Bielau Oaks, by Mighty B Valiant and out of Devil Wears Prada, by FDD Dynasty.

This Guys a Volcom, the eighth fastest qualifier, finished third. Francisco Ramirez, Jr. was aboard the gelded son of Volcom, as he had been when he finished second in his trial.

Bred in Texas by Esmeralda and Chad Peck, This Guys a Volcom is out of the Corona Cartel mare Kimbo Cartel. He is trained by Gilbert Aguirre and is owned by Melissa Aguirre and Ramiro Martinez, Jr. Still a maiden in four lifetime starts, This Guys a Volcom has finished second twice and has not finished worse than fourth.

Completing the field were Your Favorite Lady, Fm Cartel Rock, Fmcanttemptthisrock, Fm Im a Zatanaz Too, Why Nott Me and Im Sporting Rock. Paint Me a Sinner was scratched.