Miss Isao Jqm, ridden by Eduardo Nicasio, wins the Vrginia Hyland Stakes by a neck on Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

© Los Alamitos

by Orlando Gutierrez

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–APRIL 13, 2025–After conquering South America, Miss Isao Jqm is on her way to conquering North America.

Already regarded as one of the greatest female runners in the history of Brazilian racing, Pedro Barbizan Santiago Leite’s Miss Isao Jqm is rapidly establishing herself as one of the top Quarter Horse mares currently racing in the United States following an impressive come-from-behind victory in the $40,000 Virginia Hyland Stakes for fillies and mares on Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

Racing from post number one, Miss Isao Jqm chased down the fast breaking One Sweet Duck, catching the 2023 La Pacifica Handicap winner in the final 50 yards to win the Virginia Hyland by a neck. Ridden by Eduardo Nicasio for trainer James Glenn, Jr., Miss Isao Jqm covered the 350 yards in :17.525 while enjoying her third victory and second stakes win since arriving at Los Alamitos last year.

James Glenn, Jr and Eduardo Nicasio © Los Alamitos

Bred by Santiago Leite, the 6-year-old mare by Mr Jess Perry has now finished first or second in all seven of her starts at Los Alamitos. In addition to Virginia Hyland, she won the Dashingly Stakes and ran second in the Denim N Diamonds Stakes.

“She seems to really be settling into Southern California,” Glenn said. “When she got here from Brazil she had not run in two years. She’s getting better and better. Last time she hooked a monster in Nymphette (in the Denim N Diamonds). If they had been going 400 (yards) she probably would have run her down. (Eduardo) said, ‘when we get going 400 yards, she can really fly late.’ We’re pretty excited with her. She’s been a blessing. We’re glad (Leite) send her to us and she’s been a lot fun.

“I thought (One Sweet Duck) was gone. About halfway down I thought maybe (she) didn’t break. Then I watched the replay, and I saw that she broke, but (One Sweet Duck) was gone. She ran her down.”

Glenn will be planning out the remaining of Miss Isao Jqm’s schedule for 2025 with an eye on top races for fillies and mares at 400 yards to be held later in the year.

“She’s not Cal-bred so she won’t run Cal-bred night,” he said. “Then you start looking at the Grade 1 Mildred Vessels in September, and then we’ll be into late fall. We’ll space her races a little bit. We’ll look for a spot to give her a little break.”

Miss Isao Jqm earned $22,000 for the win to take her career earnings to $191,497. Lex Fabrizio’s One Sweet Duck earned $9,000 for running second under jockey Armando Cervantes and for trainer Ramiro Castillo. Reliance Ranches’ Hott Temptation, who raced in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Oaks in her previous start, finished third. Vgk Zigfield Follies, Temple Court, Magic Folly, and Ecstatik completed the field.

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