Preview Racing


Reigning World Champion Jessies First Down Returns in $150,000 Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship
Reigning world champion Jessies First Down is expected to make his next start in the $150,000 Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship (G1) on Wednesday.

© Jimmy Padgett, II
Reigning World Champion Jessies First Down Returns in $150,000 Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship

By Martha Claussen

HOBBS, NM—NOVEMBER 18, 2017—Zia Park will serve up some tasty Thanksgiving fare on Wednesday, November 22 when they present the stakes-filled Land of Enchantment card. The afternoon gets underway with three Quarter Horse features, highlighted by the $150,000 Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship (G1).

Jessies First Down to Defend His Title in the $150,000 Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship (G1)

Ted Abrams, Sr.’s homebred Jessies First Down, has been installed as the even-money choice in the 440-yard Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship (G1). The 6-year-old son of champion FDD Dynasty is already stabled at Zia under the watchful eye of trainer Jimmy Padgett and his faithful barn companion, a rooster named Capitan.

He’s better than a watch dog, stated Abrams. He’s been with Jessie for over a year.

It’s hard to give too much credit to Capitan as Jessies First Down is having a tremendous year, with four wins from five starts. He dominated his rivals in the $200,000 All American Gold Cup (G1) at Ruidoso Downs on September 3, and was very impressive in the $250,000 Albuquerque Fall Quarter Horse Championship three weeks later. The bay gelding, who will be ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo, is in top form, according to Abrams.

When he works with his tongue outside his mouth, that’s the sign, he explained. We pay attention to everything Jessie does. The other morning, he had a great work, and when that tongue is out, that’s his sign that he is ready to go.

The connection and pride in Jessies First Down is strong for Abrams, who has watched his hard-driving champion win 14 career races, including six grade 1 stakes. He will face a full field on Wednesday and he defends his title in the Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship. His rivals include All American Futurity (G1) winner Imperial Eagle; Hobbs Derby champion, Tf Im That Guy and multiple stakes winner JM Country Man.

But, one of his toughest rivals, Zoomin Effortlessly, will not be there.

Abrams has owned quality racehorses solely and in many partnerships for several decades. He is honed into his horses, but is also an ardent observer of the overall landscape of the racing industry. The native Texan felt strongly about acknowledging the passing of Zoomin Effortlessly, who died of a heart attack following his runner-up effort in the Gold Cup.

Running against him was special, acknowledged Abrams. Every time they faced each other, it was the highest quality of racing and often it came down to the difference of a whisker for the win. Rivalries in racing are something the public enjoys and they saw a great one between Jessie and Zoomin Effortlessly. I’ve never seen a horse with as much heart and wanted to make sure his connections know how much we respected their horse.

The $150,000 Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship (G1) will run as the third race of the card with an estimated post time of 1:05 pm (MT).

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:

  1. Magestic Eagle (Ricky Ramirez)
  2. Tf Im That Guy (Manuel Gutierrez)
  3. Watch My Wallet Loto (Raul Herrera)
  4. JM Country Man (Mauro Salcedo)
  5. Imperial Eagle (Esgar Ramirez)
  6. Jessies First Down (Rodrigo Vallejo)
  7. Machismo Moon (Jose Alvarez)
  8. Knockemout Capi (Adrian Ramos)
  9. De La Eagle (Jaime Leos)
  10. Rarin (Roberto Meraz, Jr.)

Zoomin Racer Leads the Field in the $50,000 King Rick Rack Stakes

The opener on Land of Enchantment Day is the $50,000 King Rick Rack Stakes to be contested at a distance of 870 yards.

Zoomin Racer, owned and trained by Fernando Carrete, drew the rail and will attempt to add to his five-race win streak on Wednesday afternoon. The 4-year-old son of Jess Zoomin out of the Runaway Winner mare

Racing Winner was bred in Texas by AQHA past president Jerry Windham. He made his first 870-yard start in March at Remington Park and was disqualified, but it has been smooth sailing since, with four consecutive victories. He qualified for the AQHA Distance Challenge Championship with a driving finish at Lone Star Park on September 29 and won the $105,000 AQHA Distance Challenge Championship (G1) at Prairie Meadows two weeks later.

He’s just a do right horse, stated Carrete. We have no problems or issues with him; he came out of the Challenge final in perfect shape.

Ricky Ramirez, who has ridden Zoomin Racer to his last two stakes wins, has the mount.

Carette, 29, has been training for six years, and is pleased with the recent form of the bay gelding. Despite trip woes in the early stages of his Lone Star Park victory, Zoomin Racer made a determined late charge from seventh to win by over two lengths.

Ricky told me he tried to check him, but the horse just pulled him through an opening, said Carette. He loves to run and digs in every time.

This will be the first start at Zia Park for Zoomin Racer, the 8-5 morning line favorite. His toughest test will likely come from Danisia Guzman Contreras’ Fire Thorn, a 6-year-old Shazoom gelding trained by Cynthia G. Gonzalez.

He has won his last two, including the $50,000 Herman Jefferon Stakes here on October 1. Louis Howard’s Jessa Little Rusty, the 2014 AQHA Distance Challenge champion, will make his 39th career start for trainer John Stinebaugh. Jockey Gilbert Ortiz will travel from Louisiana to Hobbs to pilot the 7-year-old multiple stakes winner.

The feature is named in honor of King Rick Rack, the Texas-bred son of Gone to the Man, who made 74 starts from 1999 -2007 for Tomey Jean Swan and her husband Patrick. He trained the sorrel gelding,who won 23 races, including 11 stakes in New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Florida and Iowa.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:

  1. Zoomin Racer (Ricky Ramirez)
  2. D E Wagons Strawfly (Adrian Ramos)
  3. Fire Thorn (Duane L. Sterling)
  4. Streakin Zoomer (Mauro Salcedo)
  5. Linda Tee Fire (Alejandro Medellin)
  6. Droppin Timber (Curtis Kimes)
  7. Jessa Little Rusty (Gilbert Ortiz)
  8. Funny Munny (Francisco Amparan)

Full Field Assembled in the $140,000 New Mexico Fillies and Mares Championship (RG1)

Princess Jesse, a daughter of Jesse James Jr, bred, owned and trained by Vance Mikkelson, will be seeking her ninth career victory in the 400-yard test for New Mexico registered fillies and mares.

Zulu Dragon filly reeled off three grades stakes wins at Sunland Park earlier this year.

Woodbridge is a multiple graded stakes winner trained by Fred Danley.

  • First Vegas Moon (Manuel Gutierrez)
  • Carson City Girl (Ricky Ramirez)
  • Get Down Bambi (Felipe Garcia-Luna)
  • Strawfly Flower (L. Salvador Martinez)
  • Eyesa Wagon (Oscar Cordova)
  • Sixie Won (Mauro Salcedo)
  • Princess Jesse (Esgar Ramirez)
  • Lady Version (Edgar S. Ramirez)
  • Princess Jesse Jane (Jose L. Enrique )
  • Running Dragon (Adrian Ramos)

    Post time is 12:10 p.m. (Mountain) for the all-stakes card. The $50,000 King Rick Rack at 870-yard will run as the opener, followed by the $140,000 New Mexico Fillies and Mares Championship and the $150,000 Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship (G1). The remainder of the program will be Thoroughbred stakes, including the $200,000 Zia Park Derby and the $300,000 Zia Park Oaks.

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    Martha Claussen served as publicity director at Sam Houston Race Park for ten years. She continues to be active in writing, fan education and Quarter Horse racing publicity in Texas, Louisiana and other regions in North America.