West Texas Futurity winner Jess Prize Me will head Friday’s 400-yard West Texas Derby (G3) trials at Sunland Park.

© Coady Photography

SUNLAND PARK, NM—MARCH 8, 2017—A total of 50 3-year-olds, topped by graded stakes winner Jess Prize Me, has been entered in Friday’s 400-yard West Texas Derby (G3) trials at Sunland Park.

The 10 fastest qualifiers from the five 400-yard heats will meet in the $65,000-added final on April 1.

Jess Prize Me broke her maiden with a neck victory as the 6-5 favorite in last year’s 300-yard, $211,366 West Texas Futurity (G2) at Sunland Park. An earner of $131,537 from her 11 starts, the filly is trained by Chris Zamora for LMG Racing Inc.

The daughter of leading sire Mr Jess Perry will be ridden by Daniel Amaya from post 2 in the fourth of five trials.

Ben Peterson’s Mahoney N Tacklebery, a stakes winner in Wyoming last summer, drew post 5 and will be ridden by Amaya for trainer Todd Fincher in the first heat. A sorrel Utah-bred son of Favorite Cartel, the gelding won three of his eight starts during his 2-year-old season, including the 350-yard, $107,000 Western States Breeders’ Futurity at the Central Wyoming Fair meet in Casper.

The West Texas Derby trials, and all Sunland Park races, can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.