Chippewa Downs hosted the $8,900 Chippewa Open Derby (not black-type) on Saturday's race card.

© Chippewa Downs

BELCOURT, ND – JUNE 25, 2022 – In the first of two Quarter Horse stakes at Chippewa on Saturday evening, Deal Me a Jess handed the field an upset win in the $8,900 Chippewa Open Derby (not black-type).

Deal Me a Jess ($21.40) prevailed by a neck over post-time favorite Penny Bear and covered the 350 yards in :18.510 for an 80 speed index.

Giovany Estrada was in the irons for trainer Bill Geditz and owner and breeder Thomas Anderberg. Deal Me a Jess is a daughter of First Down Mr Jess and is out of the Dealagame mare Eyema Game Dealer. This was her first start as a 3-year-old. In 2021, she finished second in the South Dakota Bred Futurity at Fort Pierre and was fourth in the 1889 Futurity for North and South Dakota-breds at Canterbury Park.

Deal Me a Jess has earned $16,521 in seven starts with three career wins.

Penny Bear took public support after posting the fastest time to the North Dakota-Bred Mixed Derby last weekend; he’ll return for the final for that race on July 2. Larren Delorme had the riding call for trainer Jeff Charbonneau and owner Betty Charboneau.

Penny Bear is a 3-year-old Paint colt by Daimon’s Tale, out of Treasured Penny, by Special Eliminator. He was bred by Kenneth Groce in North Dakota.

He broke his maiden two weeks ago in his first start of the year, and now has two wins in eight starts with earnings of $7,950. As a 2-year-old, he qualified for the North Dakota Bred Futurity, also at Chippewa.

Shesa Royal Jess finished third as the second choice and cleared the rest of the field by a length. Evan Herman rode the Dashing Jess Perry filly for trainer Robert Lee Herman. She is a homebred for John Bubel in North Dakota, out of Tempered Reb, by Sixes Royal.

Shesa Royal Jess did not finish her trial last weekend for the North Dakota Bred Derby, but last year she finished third in the Northern Plains Quarter Horse Futurity at Chippewa and qualified to the NDQHRA Futurity in Fargo. She has hit the board in seven of her 11 starts and has earned $10,507.

Completing the field were Hasta Cash Fast, Jess Perrys Gol and Ima Dashing Volcom.