Jess Give Me A Reason, under jockey Cristian Esqueda, drives to victory in the $113,840 Altoona Derby at Prairie Meadows Friday evening.

© Coady Photography

ALTOONA, IA—SEPTEMBER 30, 2022—Stablemates and half-siblings Jess Give Mea Reason and Jess Candy Wagon finished 1-2 in the $113,840 Altoona Derby at Prairie Meadows today (SEP 30).

Jess Give Mea Reason (5-1), under jockey Cristian Esqueda, got up over Jess Candy Wagon (36-1) by a nose while completing the 400 yards in :19.605 seconds, a 102 speed index. Both horses were saddled by trained Stacy Charette-Hill.

Jess Give Mea Reason, a daughter of champion Good Reason SA, races for Hill and co-owner-breeder Michael Pohl. A winner of five of nine career starts the Oklahoma-bred filly is out of Send Me This Wagon by Pyc Paint Your Wagon. Tonight's $51,228 winner's purse boosted her earnings mark to $120,548.

Earlier this year Jess Give Mea Reason was fourth in the Heritage Place Oaks at Remington Park and a finalist in the Prairie Meadows Gold Derby.

Also trained by Hill and bred by Pohl, runner-up Jess Candy Wagon was ridden by jockey Erik Esqueda. M.C. Stucks owns the Oklahoma bred daughter of Jess Louisiana Blue out of Send Me This Wagon by Pyc Paint Your Wagon. The $20,491 payday nearly doubled the filly's bankroll to $46,058.

Fastest qualifier and pastime favorite Nothin Like You, under jockey Stormy Smith, finished a half-length back to earn $11,384 for third. Winner of the Adequan Prairie Meadows Derby Challenge two races back, the son of Favorite Cartel races for owner Bradbury Racing and is trained by John Hammes.

Thomas Bradbury and Lisa Beauprez bred the gelding in Colorado from the Carters Cartel mare Whos Kissin Carter. Also the winner of the Prairie Meadows Gold Derby and Valley Junction Futurity(G3), Nothin Like you has banked $202,088 with seven wins in 13 starts.

Nsm Parks Candy Girl, Jess Southard, One Fabulous Boy, Waitin On Eight, Nouveaux, Hard Rock Candy and Saints New Weapon completed the field.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

About Prairie Meadows
Prairie Meadows began operations as a nonprofit organization in 1989 with the goal of promoting economic development, jobs, agriculture, and tourism in the state of Iowa. Through taxes, grants, and charitable donations, Prairie Meadows has given $2 billion to the state of Iowa. Prairie Meadows offers slot machines, table games, live and simulcast racing, sports wagering, hotel accommodations, entertainment, and more.