 Coady
Photography / story by Michael Cusortelli for SureBet
Longshot Jess Phenomenal Scores in Hialeah's
Banyan Tree Stakes
Hialeah, FL Jan. 22, 2012 - Alejandro Medina's Jess Phenomenal
outran his 13-1 odds to win the $22,500 Banyan Tree Stakes at
Hialeah Park, one of four Quarter Horse stakes contested at the
south Florida track on Sunday.
Ridden by Francisco Ramirez Jr. for trainer Ricardo Martinez, Jess
Phenomenal covered 250 yards in :13.137 while earning a 101 speed
index and defeating Bold Badon by a nose. The $13,500 winner's share
of the purse increased the 7-year-old gelding and one-time $5,000
claimer's earnings to $41,774.
Jess Phenomenal was bred in Arizona by Celina Molina. The gelding's
sire, Feature Mr Jess, won the Rainbow Futurity (G1) in 2000 and the
Rainbow Derby (G1) the following year and who retired from racing in
'01 with earnings of $539,327 from 16 starts. Feature Mr Jess' top
runners include several AQHA champions, including 2011 champion
2-year-old colt Feature Mr Bojangles. The stallion died due to
complications from laminitis in '09.
Jess Phenomenal is one of two winners from five starters foaled by
Miss Mighty Casady, a winning 21-year-old daughter of Casady
Casanova. The gelding's half sister, Mighty Classy Lassy, ran second
in the 1998 Sam Houston Futurity (G1) in Texas.
Jess Phenomenal's second dam, Miss Mighty Casady, was a finalist in
three graded futurities at Los Alamitos in '93.
All told, Jess Phenomenal has won four of 20 races, and the Banyan
Tree represents his first stakes win. The gelding was coming off of
a fourth-place finish in a 330-yard, $10,000 claiming sprint at
Hialeah on December 30.
Jess Phenomenal returned a $28 win mutuel and teamed with Bold Badon
for a $198.70 ($1) exacta. Jessgonnafly, a 20-1 longshot, finished
third to complete a $1 trifecta payoff of $1,592.60.
Jazz And Corona, Ethics Aside, Just Wannabe Postoak, Jess Luci D,
The Vig, and 2-1 favorite Doctor Onaka completed the order of
finish.
Bold Badon is a 6-year-old gelding by the Corona Cartel stallion
Bold Badon racing for Fransisco Ramos. Bold Badon has banked
$185,843 from 30 outs, and his nine wins include three stakes
victories.
A 4-year-old Fly Jess Fly gelding campaigned by Isabell Guerrero,
Jessgonnafly ran second in last year's $112,280 Indiana Live QHRAI
Derby at Indiana Downs. The one-time $7,500 claimer has won three of
17 races and has earned $54,808.
* * * * * * * * *
Jeremy Garcia rode Logans Dash to a convincing three-quarter length
victory in Sunday's 300-yard, $22,250 Miami-Dade County Stakes
for 3-year-old fillies.
Prepped by Manuel Mata for owner Anibal Hernandez, Logans Dash
stopped the timer in :15.428 while posting a 95 speed index. The
victory was her fourth in 10 starts and second stakes score.
Logans Dash's sire, Grade 1 winner Toast To Dash, was the AQHA
champion 2-year-old in 1996. Her dam, Logans Game, is an 8-year-old
mare by Game Patriot who won the 2006 Louisiana Breeders' Lassie
Futurity (RG2) at Delta Downs and ran second that season's Mardi
Gras Futurity (RG2) at Evangeline Downs.
The $13,350 winner's share of the Miami-Dade County Stakes purse
pushed Logans Dash's bankroll to $60,624, of which $26,925 has been
earned since January 1. The filly was four weeks removed from a
half-length win in the 250-yard, $22,625 Biscayne Stakes at Hialeah.
Okey Dokey Diamond finished second and was followed by True Action,
Drinkin The Gold, Chimuela Chic, 9-5 favorite Deer Oh Deer, Dash On
Girl, and Azoom Pearl.
* * * * * * * * *
Flyin Fish, a 4-year-old gray gelding by Fishers Dash owned
by Double Eagle Ranch Inc. and
Buena Suerte Equine of Roswell, New Mexico, scored his first
stakes victory in the $27,000 Moonstone Stakes, the richest of
Sunday's four stakes at Hialeah.
Trained by Richard Sedillo, Flyin Fish went 660 yards in :32.249 and
recorded a 103 speed index under jockey Brian Theriot. Flyin Fish
actually crossed the wire second, two lengths behind odds-on
favorite Skyline Lover, but the gelding was moved up to first when
Skyline Lover was disqualified and placed eighth and last for
lugging in and bothering several other runners.
Flyin Fish was making just his second start at the 660 distance. In
his most recent out, he ran second, a head behind Skyline Lover, in
the 660-yard, $25,000 Crystal River Stakes at Hialeah on December
26.
Flyin Fish has won four of 18 races and has banked $94,501. The
gelding was a finalist in last year's $1,317,015 All American Derby
(G1) at Ruidoso Downs.
Royal Initiative, Special Ela, Checotah Dale, Heza Fast Corridor,
Arbeka Lobo, Louisianafeature One, and Skyline Lover completed the
official order of finish.
* * * * * * * * *
A sharp break from post 2 helped Freaking score a head victory in
the 400-yard, $22,500 City of Hialeah Stakes.
Under leading jockey Alex Baldillez Jr., who rode Freaking for owner
and trainer Ricardo Martinez, the 6-year-old California-bred gelding
by the First Down Dash stallion TR Dasher covered his trip in
:19.565 while posting a 97 speed index and his second career stakes
win.
Freaking was coming off of a half-length win in the 350-yard,
$22,250 Signature Stakes at Hialeah on December 26. All told, the
gelding has won four of 19 outs and has earned $58,856.
Opportunity Zooms ran second and was followed by Jesse In Town, Fast
N Furrious, Hawkinson Time, Streakin Rare, KT Makin A Tax Move,
Winners Cartel, Legendary Express, and Tre Boss.
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