Jess My Dynasty, ridden by Oscar Andrade Jr, wins the $67,380 AQRA Turf Paradise Open Quarter Horse Derby on Tuesday.

© Coady Media

PHOENIX, AZ–DECEMBER 31, 2024–Coming off a second-place finish in the trials with the third-fastest time, Jess My Dynasty redeems himself with a gate-to-wire victory in the $67,380 AQRA Turf Paradise Open Quarter Horse Derby on Tuesday afternoon.

Jockey Oscar Andrade Jr piloted Jess My Dynasty to a perfect textbook finish in 19.663 seconds, clocking a 102 speed-index. The 400-yard slight upset paid $11.20 to win on 12-1 odds.

Jess My Dynasty's victory marks the first time a Utah-bred has won the AQRA Turf Paradise Derby, and the $33,690 paycheck boosted his earnings to $79,060. Trained by Diego Cervantes, the son of FDD Dynasty has lit the board six of nine starts with three wins for owner Jose Aguilar Mendoza.

The winning connections of Jess My Dynasty accept the e $67,380 AQRA Turf Paradise Open Quarter Horse Derby trophy on Tuesday. © Coady Media

Mendoza purchased Jess My Dynasty for $200,000 in the 2022 Heritage Place Yearling Sale from breeder Speed LLC. He is out of the blue hen mare and AQHA Dam of Distinction Jess Sass Me by Mr Jess Perry.

Jess My Dynasty is a full brother to stakes winner Speed Dynasty and a half-brother to champions Jess Walking Thru and Sass Me Blue as well as stakes winners Sassalitical, Jess Being Valiant, Fire And Sass, First N Sassy, Valiant Jess, Valiant Livy and Sassy On Fire.

Trainer Diego Cervantes named jockey Jesus Ayala to pilot Seisponte to his second-place finish. The son of Duponte chased the pack with a late gain at the wire but fell short by a neck to Jess My Dynasty. He now has a record of 3-1-1 from six starts with $34,489 in earnings.

Mendoza also owns Seisponte, who he purchased for $21,000 in the 2022 Heritage Place Yearling Sale. Walter "Dick" Harrison bred the gray gelding in Oklahoma out of the Tres Seis stakes winning/producing mare Senorita Tres.

Basking, ridden by Mark Jasson, placed third. The multiple-winning son of Tres Seis has earned $32,471 from 13 starts.

J Lazy Six Ranch purchased Basking for $48,000 from her breeder Double Bar S Ranch LLC in the 2022 Heritage Place Yearling Sale. The Oklahoma-bred filly is out of the First Down Dash stakes-winning mare Scoop Of Sunshine, half-sister to stakes winners Igotyourtac, Budder Off Friends, and Here Comes The Budder.

You Cant Drive 95, Sm Jess Corona, Av Tornadoe Warning, Tell Jones, Chloes Rockette, and Double A Eagle round out the order of finish.

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