Challenge


Pirates Coves Hero Earns First Stakes Win in Bank of America Turf Paradise Championship Challenge
Pirate Coves Hero (#11) edges out Jess Move You (#9) to win the $46,657 Bank of America Turf Paradise Championship Challenge on Sunday.

© Coady Photography
Pirates Coves Hero Earns First Stakes Win in Bank of America Turf Paradise Championship Challenge

PHOENIX, AZ—APRIL 28, 2019— The fourth and final Quarter Horse stake of the Turf Paradise card was the feature race, the $46,657 Bank of America Turf Paradise Championship Challenge. In a battle down to the wire, Pirate Coves Hero edged out Jess Move You to win the regional qualifier.

Emilio Tapia picked up his second stakes win of the day aboard Pirate Coves Hero ($17.40). The pair posted a final time of 21.407 in the 440-yard event and earned a speed index of 106.

The race marked a number of firsts for Pirates Coves Hero. It was his first race since August 2018, his first start at Turf Paradise, and his first stakes win. In his 12 career starts, the 5-year-old gelding had only made one previous start in a stakes race, in his previous start last August at Arapahoe. Just two starts back, he was claimed at Remington Park for $7,500.

AQRA Executive Director Loretta Brasher presents the winning connections of Pirate Coves Hero the Bank of America Turf Paradise Challenge Championship stakes trophy on Sunday. © Coady Photography

Pirates Coves Hero is trained by Jesus Olivas for owner Julio Francisco Villar Torres. He was bred in Oklahoma by Reliance Ranches, LLC, by Valiant Hero and out of the Feature Mr Jess mare American Feature, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner and Champion 2-Year-Old American Runaway.

With Sunday’s win, Pirates Coves Hero has now won five of 12 races and earned $62,678.

Post-time favorite Jess Move You had the lead for most of the race before yielding by a neck at the wire. Jess Move You brought significant backclass to the feature race as the winner of last year’s Ruidoso Derby (G1). He also qualified to the All American Derby (G1), Rainbow Derby (G1), West Texas Derby (G1), and Hobbs America Derby (G3) and has career earnings of $525,105.

Jess Move You was ridden by Alonso Rivera for trainer Alvaro Hinojos. He is owned by Ricardo Bernal and Reymundo Resendez, and was bred in Oklahoma by Debbie Strebig. The 4-year-old gelding is by Apollitical Jess and is out of the Royal Shake Em mare Gonna Move You.

Jess a Cowboy and jockey Mark Jasso chased the leading duo to finish third. Jess a Cowboy trained by Matt Fales for owner and breeder Larry Stark. The 7-year-old gelding was bred in Arizona by Dejon, out of the Canth mare Secret Return.

Jess a Cowboy has made over 20 starts at Turf Paradise and has won 11 of his 36 career races. This is the fourth year he has competed in the Turf Paradise Championship Challenge; he won the 2017 edition. He was fifth in the 2018 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) at Los Alamitos and has earned $220,147 to date.

Completing the field were Beduinos Royalcorona, Walk It Man, Bay Max, May Be Fantastic Sa, Movin the Doe, Texas Tornadoe and Nicos Favoritecartel. Apollitical Brooke was scratched. Bay Max was disqualified from a sixth place finish to placed ninth.