Jessa Louisiana Blue winning the 2015 LQHBA Lassie Futurity at Delta Downs.

© Coady Photography

Q-RACING JOURNAL—MAY 19, 2015—Jason Richards and Michael LeBlanc of Tyler, Texas, are real fond of today’s pedigree of discussion.

Two years ago, their Jess Louisiana Blue filly Louisana Corona, a daughter of champion Corona Cash, outran eventual champion Feature Hero in the $2.8 million All American Derby (G1) trials. She would encounter traffic trouble in the final and finish eighth, but would return the following year to win two stakes, including the Juno’s Request Stakes (G2), and has earned $186,206.

So it should be a surprise to no one that Richards and LeBlanc decided to go back to the very same well. And this year, they have drawn out one Jessa Louisiana Zoom, another inky-coated daughter of Jess Louisiana Blue out of Corona Cash’s daughter Zoomin For Cash. Now 2-for-2, Jessa Louisiana Zoom on May 15 won the $268,497 Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders’ Association Lassie Futurity (RG2) by a decisive length. The partners bought the filly for $22,000 at the 2014 LQHBA Yearling Sale and have seen her earn $146,888 to date.

Jessa Louisiana Zoom was bred Lyle Guillory of Alexandria, Louisiana, a 10-year breeder who also brought the world the likes of Dashin Beduino ($124,185).

Jess Louisiana Blue was bred by the Jumonville family of Ventress, Louisiana. Sired by leading sire Mr Jess Perry and out of their blue hen The Louisiana Girl, the stallion was a stakes-winning earner of $170,682, and the sport’s champion aged stallion of 2002.

He is a full brother to Grade 2 winner Jessthelouisianagirl ($122,904) and a half brother to stakes winners Call Me Fed Ex ($80,437), Fed Ex Together ($111,784), Louisiana Eye Opener ($151,254) and The Louisiana Cartel ($127,941).

From 10 crops to race, he has sired the earners of more than $10.7 million, with 225 winners from 373 starters (60 percent) and average earnings per starter of $28,793. He stands at Jumonville Farms at Ventress.

Zoomin For Cash is a 9-year-old mare bred by Henry Brown, and is by Azoom and out of Corona Cash. Zoomin For Cash made only four starts but proved her speed as she qualified to the finals of the Ruidoso Derby (G1) before hanging up her racing plates.

She has produced three starters to date with Jessa Louisiana Blue her most successful.

Sire Azoom is a blue-blooded stallion from Jerry Windham’s breeding program. A two-time Grade 1 winner, Azoom earned $738,136 in his freshman season. He has sired the earners of more than $6.9 million.

Corona Cash is by American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame members First Down Dash and Corona Chick. The winner of 19 of 32 starts, she earned more than $1.5 million to put her at No. 4 on the all-time leading distaffers by money earned. She won 11 stakes, including the Grade 1 All American Futurity, Los Alamitos Derby and Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap. She was the sport’s champion 2-year-old and 2-year-old filly, and champion 3-year-old and 3-year-old filly.

From 27 starters to date, she has produced 18 winners and the earners of more than $975,000. Among them are the aforementioned Louisana Corona, stakes-placed runner Feature My Corona (by Feature Mr Jess, $114,216), the stakes running Strawfly Specials One Corona ($85,381), Two Corona Special ($111,893) and Corona Three ($35,938), stakes winners Hez Fast As Cash (by Heza Fast Man, $79,359) and Pot Ocash (by Mr Eye Opener, $68,019), and stakes placed Dimes And Nicks (by Azoom, $97,809).

Her late dam, Corona Chick, requires no introduction. Herself a champion, she for more than a decade led the all-time broodmare list, while carrying, foaling and raising all 16 of her babies herself. They earned more than $3.6 million on the track and include likely future-hall-of-famer Corona Cartel and many more.

And now a powerful “blue” blood family has another black-type member.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHARacing on Twitter, watch the AQHA Racing Newscast and visit www.aqharacing.com.

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