Racing


Rockin With Energy Dominates The Justanold Love On Saturday
Rockin With Energy, under jockey Henry Lopez, won the Justanold Love Handicap at Los Alamitos Race Course on Saturday.

© Amber Mendez
Rockin With Energy Dominates The Justanold Love On Saturday

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–NOVEMBER 9, 2024–Facing sophomore fillies for the first time since winning the California Breeders Debutante Stakes, Parsons Family Limited Partnership's Rockin With Energy was victorious once again after posting a daylight victory in the $30,000 Justanold Love Handicap on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by Henry Reynoso Lopez for trainer Paul Jones, Rockin With Energy rocked and rolled from the outside post number 10, as she took lead shortly after the start, opened a half-length advantage soon after and then extended her lead to 1 ½ lengths at the wire while covering the 350 yards in :17.481.

Double Bar S Ranch's Budderhomesngarden finished second while Kim Newman and Dave Merritt's M E Etago Relent finished third.

The winning connections of Rockin With Energy, Paul and Marin Jones, Henry Reynoso Lopez, and assistant trainer Roque Gonzalez. © William Zuazo

The filly by Parsons Rock was just as impressive in her last meeting against 3-year-olds in her division, winning the Debutante by 1 ¼ lengths on California Breeders Champions Night on July 27.

In between stakes wins, the Parsons homebred won a trial to the Grade 2 Golden State Derby, finished fifth after a trouble journey in the final and then was out of the money when facing older mares in the Sound Dash Handicap on October 12.

A return to age division suited Rockin With Energy just fine, as she earned $16,500 for her efforts while scoring her fifth win in 12 career starts.

"Very good race, she got really nice break tonight," Jones said. "Her last race she kind of really broke bad. She got off balance and got a bad start. When this filly gets out of the gate clean and gets a clean trip, which she was really able to do on the outside, really helped her. She's just full of talent and has a lot of run to her. I love this filly. She's always been one of my favorites."

Rockin With Energy, who as a juvenile ran second in the Grade 2 Ed Burke Million Futurity, will now be pointed to the Southern California Derby trials to be held on Sunday, December 1. From there, Jones is looking forward to seeing her race as a 4-year-old mare.

"We got a great program here at Los Alamitos for the older mares and we're going to be really thrilled to have her in that group next year," Jones said.

This was Jones' 351st Quarter Horse stakes win at Los Alamitos. He ranks second all-time here only behind Blane Schvaneveldt's 387 stakes wins. Rockin With Energy also gave the 2023 AQHA Hall of Fame inductee his 350th stakes win here when she took the Debutante.

Elena Andrade saddled the Double Bar S Ranch-bred Budderhomesngarden to her runner-up finish in the Justanold Love. Ridden by Rodrigo Aceves, the First Down Dash filly earned $6,750.

M E Ettago Relent, who was trained by Monty Arrossa, earned $3,750 for running third with Jesus Rios Ayala up. The filly by Hes Relentless was second against older foes in the Blane Schvaneveldt Handicap.

Checkn Cartel, Silver Bac, Tres Lunas, Trending Right, In The Mode, and Market Analyst 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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