Jess Kicked A Gear, under jockey Gilbert Ortiz, setting the fastest time in the Adequan Texas Derby Challenge at Retama Park.

© Coady Photography

SELMA, TX—JULY 28, 2017—Four trials were run on the Friday evening card for the Adequan Texas Derby Challenge.  Barbara Chase’s Jess Kicked A Gear, at odds of 18-1, out-kicked her rivals under jockey Gilbert Ortiz.  The Utah-bred filly by One Sweet Jess won her 400-yard trials in :19.675 seconds; the fastest clocking of the evening.

  Trained by John Stinebaugh, Jess Kicked A Gear ($38.60) had previously won just one race in ten starts, a maiden score last October at Evangeline Downs.  Breaking from the far inside post, she maintained the lead over John Deere Retama Juvenile winner One Sweet Merlot, drawing off by a margin of one-length.

  Jess Kicked A Gear qualified for just one stakes last year, placing ninth in the $100,000 Evangeline Downs Futurity on December 16. Rodney Christiansen bred the filly from the Heza Fast Man mare Quiet Courage.

Setting the second-fastest time in the final trial was Ruben D. Santos, Jr.’s Apollitical Girl, a daughter of Apollitical Jess, trained by Jose Sanchez. Ridden by his son, Eddie, the brown filly closed from her far outside post in a final time of :19.718 seconds.

E.D. Calvert bred the filly in Texas from the First Down Dash mare Midnight Express.

  The ten finalists will return on closing night of the Retama Park Quarter Horse meet, Saturday, August 12. The winner will represent Texas in the $180,000 Adequan Challenge Championship at Prairie Meadows on October 14.

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