Jess Telling Beau, under jockey Nestor Duran, set the fastest qualifying time for the $194,020 Old South Futurity Saturday at Delta Downs.

© Hodges Photography

By H. David Smith/ StallioneSearch.com

VINTON, LA–APRIL 26, 2025–Jess Telling Beau, a $20,000 TQHA Yearling Sale repurchase for owner-breeder Francisco Javier Garza, broke her maiden while posting the fastest qualifying time from 10 trials contested for the $194,020 Old South Futurity at Delta Downs Saturday night.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will return to the Vinton, Louisiana, oval on Saturday, May 17, to vie for a winner's paycheck of $97,010 over a distance of 330 yards. Each Old South Futurity trial carried a purse of $5,000, and the winners took home $3,000 apiece. 

Jess Telling Beau hit her best stride late under jockey Nestor Duran to win by three-quarters while posting the fastest clocking of 16.791 seconds, a 93 speed index. Jess Telling Beau was a late supplement to the Old South trials after finishing third in her career debut at Sunland Racetrack in New Mexico during the West Texas Futurity trials on March 16.

Garza bred the daughter of champion second-crop sire Tell Cartel from the Apollitical Jess mare Jess Jumpn Beau, runner-up in the Texas Classic Juvenile as a 2-year-old. 

Runner-up Tk Eyma Struttin, who was second to Jess Telling, Beau held on for the second-fastest clocking of 16.911 seconds, an 89 speed index. Owner, trainer and breeder Lanny Keith tapped jockey Leonardo Rodriguez to ride the daughter of Struttinthedayway from the Mr Eye Opener mare Eyema Special Opener.

Louisiana Downs Futurity(G2) finalist Shot of Takillya broke his maiden in the seventh trial under jockey Raul Hernandez, Jr., to get the fourth fastest time of 16.948, an 88 speed index.

Jorge Valenzuela trains the $20,000 TQHA Yearling Sale repurchase for owner-breeder Sunset Well Services, Inc. The Texas-bred son of second-crop sire Muddy Watters is out of Takillya Gurl by Pyc Paint Your Wagon.  He has banked $23,061 in three starts this season.

CLICK HERE for the Old South Futurity finalists with times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys.

Delta Downs will switch to its regular weekly racing schedule next week when the track broadcasts live programs Wednesday through Saturday. The first post time will be at 6:15 p.m.

About Delta Downs
Delta Downs Racetrack Casino Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation, is the premier racing and gaming entertainment venue in Vinton, LA. Named "America’s Best Horse Racing Track" by USA TODAY 10 Best readers, Delta Downs features a six-furlong oval track, 15,000 square feet of casino space, and over 1,500 of the most popular slot machines. Amenities include two restaurants, chart-topping entertainment at the Delta Event Center, and the FanDuel Sportsbook.

Delta Downs is located on Delta Downs Drive in Vinton, Louisiana. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7; from Texas, take Exit 4.

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