Straight And True, ridden by Epifanio Garcia, wins the $20,000 Fresno Dash Stakes by a head on Saturday at the Big Fresno Fair.

© Courtesy Big Fresno Fair

FRESNO, CA–OCTOBER 12, 2024–Straight And True scores his first career stakes win on Saturday in the $20,000 Fresno Dash Stakes at the Big Fresno Fair.

Ridden by Epifanio Garcia, Straight And True broke fourth from the gates but responded to his rider and got up at the wire for a head victory over Sm Jess Corona. The duo clocked a 96-speed index with a seven mph tailwind in 17.450 seconds. The 350-yard slight upset paid $11.60 to win on 9-2 odds.

Ridden by Rodrigo Aceves, Sm Jess Corona led the field but was nailed at the wire for second. Reina Isamar and jockey Hugo Herrera finished third a length back.

Trainer Sergio Morfin saddle Straight And True for his owner, The Quarter Company, LLC. The five-year-old son of Kiddy Up earned $11,220 for the victory, increasing his lifetime earnings to $55,597. He has lit the board 13 of 17 starts, improving his win record to four.

The winning connections of Straight And True in the Freson Dash winner's cricle. © William Zuazo

Keith Craigmyle and Paul Lewis bred Straight And True in California out of the Unualt Heat mare Miss Loujean.

Runner-up Sm Jess Corona has a record of 3-1-1 from eight starts with $29,130. The second-place finish is his first black type. Adan Farias conditions the son of Kvn Corona for owner-breeder Santos Montemayor of California. The three-year-old gelding is out of Quic Jess by Separatist.

Trainer Jose Alfredo Aguila bred and owns third-place finisher Reina Isamar. The three-year-old daughter of First Down Mr Jess has two wins from 12 starts and $19,424 in the bank. She was bred in California out of the Hawkinson mare Rosys Doll.

Cds Its Only Money, All Thru, and Good Reason Jess round out the order of finish.

Editor's note: A photo of this race will be posted with this article as soon as it is available from the track photographer.

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About The Big Fresno Fair
Traditionally the final stop on the Northern California Fair Circuit, the Big Fresno Fair was established in 1882 by a group of Fresno businessmen and professionals serving as members on the Farm Bureau and Chamber of Commerce. The groups collectively raised a total of $25,000 and purchased 100-acres of land.

Two years later the Association incorporated horse racing into the daily activities. In 1941 Fresno offered its first pari-mutuel horse-racing meeting. During the war years, racing at Fresno was interrupted, but returned to stay in 1948.

The Fresno Fair built a new VIP area in the Grandstand complete with state-of-the-art plasma TVs and projectors. When Fresno is not conducting live racing, the room serves as an upgrade for simulcast patrons.

Fresno is one of the first tracks in the United States to reach out to Spanish language community both locally and via simulcast by offering audio of the race calls in both English and Spanish.