HOUSTON, TX—APRIL 28, 2017—Black Onyx raced to his second consecutive win Friday night when he took the opening trial for the John Deere Texas Juvenile Challenge(G3) while posting the top qualifying time of :18.051 seconds.

Ridden by jockey Jose Martinez, Black Onyx broke quickly then raced to a ¾-length win, into a 18-mph headwind, over fellow qualifier He Win It.

Trainer Angel Sanchez saddled the 2-year-old Rock Solid Jess gelding for owner Holly Hooper. Bred by Sarah Huskey, from the Behold A Beduino mare Precious Serendipity, Black Onyx entered the trials off another ¾-length victory in his career debut at Sam Houston Race Park on March 31st. He has earned $6,210.

Jess Tee, a one-length winner in the fourth trial (race 7), is the fastest of three qualifiers saddled by trainer Brian Stroud.

The son of leading sire Mr Jess Perry posted the second fastest time of :18.077 seconds for owner/breeder Michael Amburn. It was the first win in two starts for the colt out of A Game Dame by First N Kool. Francisco Garcia, Jr. was riding.

Garcia and Stroud teamed again to win the closing trial (race 10) with Ivory Noche, a homebred son of multiple stakes sire Ivory James, for owner/breeder K & W Land and Cattle Co.

The sorrel gelding out of Tres Dia Noche by Tres Seis also made it 2-for-2 after setting the third fastest time of :18.115 seconds.

Stroud's final qualifier Ivory N Ashes, also an Ivory James colt, won the sixth trial by two-lengths and posted the 4th fastest time of :18.129 seconds. Another homebred, from the Runaway Rebel mare Sweeten My Dreams, Ivory N Ashes races for owner/breeder Alan and Sharon Colley. It was the first win two starts for the gray Texas-bred.

Other sires with multiple qualifiers were The Louisiana Cartel and Jess Louisiana Blue who each sired two finalists.

Trainers Judd Kearl and Hose Espinosa saddled two finalists each to the John Deere Texas Juvenile.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will return to Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday, May 20th to vie for the winner's share of a $35,000-added purse going 350 yards. Also at stakes is a starting spot in the $130,000 Guaranteed John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship(G3) to be contested October 14th during the Bank of America Challenge Championship Night at Prairie Meadows.

For the complete list of qualifiers, times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.