Under jockey Rodrigo Aceves, Jessica Cruz won the Las Damas Handicap(G2) on Saturday at Los Alamitos Race Course.

© Amber Mendez

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–NOVEMBER 16, 2024–Gary Laramie's Jessica Cruz scored the third stakes win of her career and the first at the 400-yard distance after defeating a talented group of mares in the Grade 2, $75,000 Las Damas Handicap on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

The 4-year-old mare by FDD Dynasty has won at just about every straightaway distance offered at Los Alamitos.

The Double Bar S Ranch-bred mare had previously won at 110 yards, 220, 300, 350, and has now added a400-yard win to her resume. She finished a half-length ahead of Wise Lady Dawn while covering the distance in a time of :19.975.

Chris Wade presented the Las Damas Handicap stakes trophy to Elena Andrade and Rodrigo Aceves.
© Orlando Gutierrez

She has even defeated males in stakes races twice, first in the 350-yard James Smith Memorial Handicap during her 3-year-old campaign and then in the Azure Three Stakes at 220 yards on October 19 when facing the likes of Grade 1 winner You Can Run and multiple graded stakes sprinter Required First.

"It's been a wonderful run," trainer Elena Andrade said. "This is the one I wanted because I needed a win at the 400-yard distance with her. She's won at every distance now from 110 to 400 yards. It was kind of a goal that I had with her. This really was stretching her out but I'm so proud of her. This win is also for her owners, the Laramies."

Piloting Jessica Cruz to victory was star jockey Rodrigo Aceves, who was picking up his 1,887th Quarter Horse win at Los Alamitos. The win ties Aceves with Ramon Sanchez for sixth place in the all-time Quarter Horse jockey standings at Los Alamitos.

This was also his 107th Quarter Horse stakes win here, a figure that ranks him 7th all-time at the Orange County track. Aceves, 44, is a five-time leading rider at Los Alamitos. This was Aceves' 49th graded stakes win at Los Alamitos. He previously piloted Jessica Cruz to victory in the Azure Three.

Out of the Grade 1 stakes placed mare Jess Cuz, Jessica Cruz earned $41,250 for the win to take her career earnings to $183,456. She's won eight of her 25 career starts.

Parsons Ranch's Apollitical Jess filly Wise Lady Dawn earned $16,875 for her second-place finish. She was ridden by Armando Viramontes and trained by Paul Jones.

Ed Allred's Nymphette, who finished second in the Grade 1 Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap in her last start, ran third in this race. The daughter of Fly Thru The Fire earned $9,375 for her effort.

Jess Call Me Candy, Frivolous, Escalated, AJ Run For Cash, Flash Of Sass, and Temple Court completed the field.

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For more information, please contact larace@losalamitos.com. You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @losalracing or visit us online at www.losalamitos.com.

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