Louisiana Seis, under jockey Nestor Duran, drives to victory in the Sam Houston Stakes Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park.

© Coady Photography

HOUSTON, TX – MAY 17, 2019 - For the third time in three races on Friday night at Sam Houston, a horse picked up its first career stakes victory as Louisiana Seis won the $20,000 Sam Houston Stakes.

The Sam Houston Stakes was a 350-yard event for 3-year-olds and up. Final time was 17.661.

Louisiana Seis was ridden by Nestor Duran, who had clung to his mount in an earlier race to avoid falling. "I thank God I didn't fall in the other race, but this was much easier!"

The winning connections of Louisiana Seis accept the Sam Houston Stakes trophy Friday night. © Coady Photography

The gelding is owned by Jose Espinosa and is trained by the leading trainer of the current Sam Houston meet, Santiago Riojas. "I thought he had a good shot in this Stakes,” noted Riojas. “He was coming off two second place finishes and was breaking well. He finished strong."

Louisiana Seis ($5.60) was the post-time favorite and cleared the field by three-quarters of a length. The 4-year-old had previously qualified for the Firecracker Derby at Delta Downs and finished second in the TQHA Sires Derby at Sam Houston. He now has five career wins and six second-place finishes in 16 starts, with career earnings of $58,711.

Louisiana Seis was bred in Texas by Richard Arizpe, by The Louisiana Cartel and out of Seis Passes, by Tres Seis.

Multiple stakes winner Dm La Jolla and jockey Eddie Sanchez edged out Mystical Jess and Victor Urieta, Jr. for second place.

Dm La Jolla is trained by Porfirio Fierro and is owned by Sergio Jimenze. The 5-year-old gelding was bred in Texas by Donna Mushinski, by Hiclass La Jolla and out of the Prime Talent mare Dm Bella Mia.

Dm La Jolla has earned over $100,000 in his career, including five wins in 27 starts.

Mystical Jess, recent winner of the Miss Sam Houston Stakes, is trained by Josue Ponce. She was bred in Texas by her owner, Juan Lozano, out of the Dash Thru Traffic mare Traffic Juana.

The 4-year-old daughter of Apollitical Jess has finished in the money in 13 of her 18 career starts with earnings of $61,688.

Completing the field were Serendipity Rocks, Potus, One Sweet Merlot, Fm Im a Zatanaz Too, Cali Swaggs, Dak and Coronas On the Coast.