Breeding


Successful Sire Jesse James Jr Dead at 16
Leading sire Jess James Jr died Thursday.

© Don Shugart
Successful Sire Jesse James Jr Dead at 16

VEGUITA, NM—AUGUST 26, 2017—Jess James Jr, a very successful sire, died Thursday following a long and hard fought battle with laminitis MJ Farms announced.

Regal in his bloodlines, a stakes winner and grade 1-placed runner, Jesses James Jr was bred in Texas by Charlie and Dixie Patterson and campaigned by Charlie Patterson and Tom Lipar.

The son of leading sire Mr Jess Perry won or placed in 12 of 21 career starts and banked $167,725. He won the -irst Down Dash Handicap, was second in the Golden State Derby(G1), Bellflower Handicap and third in the Los Alamitos Super Derby(G1). He was also a finalist in the Los Alamitos Winter Championship(G1)-twice, and Southern California Derby(G1).

Jesse James Jr was owned by Mac Murray and Janis Spencer Murray and stood at the couple's MJ Farms near Veguita, New Mexico. He was the #13 Leading Sire of Money Earners in 2017 at the time of his death.

AQHA Racing Champion filly Astica winning the New Mexico Fillies and Mares Championship. © Coady Photography
From nine crops to race he sired 278 winners(60%), 62 stakes horses(14%), 1 AQHA Racing Champion, earners of nearly $13 million with average earnings per starter of $27,819.

Among Jesse James Jr's top performers are ASTICA SI 110 (9 wins to 4, $411,623 AQHA Racing Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, New Mexico Fillies and Mares Championship S.-G1, etc.), OSBALDO SI 109 (12 wins to 7, $452,775 Jess Burner Memorial H.-G1, etc.), PISTOLPACKING PEPSI SI 103 (12 wins to 6, $448,819 Miss Roxie Little Futurity, etc.), CINCO MENUDOS SI 106 (11 wins to 7, $353,997 Namehimastreaker NM Classic Championship [R]-G1, etc.), PRINCESS JESSE SI 97 (7 wins to 4, $306,035 New Mexico Hi-Pt Three-Year-Old Filly, etc.), JUNIOR JUNE BUG SI 99 (6 wins to 4, $289,078 Zia Derby-G3, etc.), JESS GOT ISSUES SI 103 (7 wins to 6, $266,356 Mesilla Valley Speed H.-G2, etc.), JESS RUEBEN JAMES SI 96 (3 wins to 7, $255,439 New Mexico Classic Derby-G2, etc.), SANDYS JESSE SI 93 (6 wins to 6, $250,529 1st-New Mexico HBA S.-G2, etc.), PERCYJONES SI 95 (6 wins to 3, $241,972 Zia Derby-G2, etc.), etc.

The sorrel stallion was out of the G1-placed First Down Dash mare Loose Lips, dam of 12 ROM and 11 winners including stakes winners Jesses James Jr SI 98 (see above), Jesstified SI 103 ($116,130), Loose Teller SI 90 ($71,603), stakes-placed Jess Lips SI 107 ($398,529), etc.

Jesse James Jr was the leading sale sire at the just completed Ruidoso New Mexico-Bred Yearling Sale in Ruidoso New Mexico. He sired the top two "high-sellers', Red Diamond for $85,000 and J Gatsby for $65,000.