Fly Miss Corona Jess (inside), under jockey Jorge Torres, defeats Jess Rocket Man in the $39,575 Gopher State Futurity at Canterbury Park Tuesday.

© Coady Photography

SHAKOPEE, MN—JULY 7, 2020—Fastest qualifier Fly Miss Corona Jess lived up to her trial performance in the $49,575 Gopher State Futurity at Canterbury Park on Tuesday afternoon.

Fly Miss Corona Jess ($11.20) and Jorge Torres were gate-to-wire winners in the second of six stakes on the all-Quarter Horse card. The final time for the 350-yard stake was 17.493; both top two finishers earned a 103 speed index.

Fly Miss Corona Jess is trained by Clinton Crawford for Cavenaugh Quarter Horses LLC. She made two starts at Remington before coming Canterbury to break her maiden in the Gopher State Futurity trial.

Fly Miss Corona Jess won her trial, the third and final of the night on June 17. The winner of the second trial and second fastest qualifier was Jess Rocket Man, who returned to run second in Tuesday’s final.

Jess Rocket Man was ridden by Berkley Packer for trainer Jason Olmstead and is owned and bred by Bruce and Judy Lunderborg in Minnesota.

The winning connections of Fly Miss Corona Jess accept the Gopher State Futurity stakes trophy Tuesday evening at Canterbury Park. © Coady Photography

Canterbury Park fans and handicappers were excited to see the Minnesota-bred; the Apollitical Jess gelding is the full little brother to Dickey Bob and Pyc Jess Bite Mydust. Both older full brothers, still in training, are multiple stakes winners, and Pyc Jess Bite Mydust is the current leading money earning Minnesota-bred Quarter Horse.

All brothers are out of the Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare Paint or More, who won the NCQHRA Futurity at Canterbury in 2011.

Jess Rocket Man ran twice at Remington Park prior to breaking his maiden in the Gopher State Futurity trial.

Making a Miracle and Julian Serrano completed the trifecta for trainer Ed Hardy. The fifth fastest qualifier, Making a Miracle is owned and bred by Kendrix Brothers in Oklahoma. The Dashair filly is out of My Miracle Lady, by Dean Miracle.

Making a Miracle was second in her trial behind Jess Rocket Man. She debuted at Remington prior to her Canterbury trial start and has hit the board in two of her three lifetime starts.

The Gopher State Futurity is an open futurity that is new this year but replaces the former North Central Quarter Horse Racing Association Futurity. The NCQHRA was restricted to owners residing in selected states and was an important and storied futurity for many years on the Canterbury Park stakes schedule.

Completing the field were McClusky Mugger, Shes Tough Enough, A Valiant Choice, Western Reserve, High Five Chick and Famous Blue Eagle. Kool and Fabulous was scratched.