Valiant Jess Scores 15-1 Upset In John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile

RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico (August 7, 2011) – Lyle Guillory’s Valiant Jess flew across the sloppy racing surface to score a 15-1 upset victory and gain her second-straight win while taking the Grade 3, $63,063 John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge on Sunday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

Valiant Jess, trained by John Bassett, raced near the lead and then fought off longshot Our First Corona and Cascada B for the win.

The Saul Ramirez, Jr.-ridden Valiant Jess was timed in :17.538 for the 350 yards.

Valiant Jess, a daughter of Valiant Hero, has made each of her four career starts at Ruidoso Downs this summer. After finishing off the board in her first two efforts, she has stepped up with back-to-back wins. In her previous race, her John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge trial, she won at 30-1 odds and raced to the fifth-fastest qualifying time.

Kevin and Robin Allred’s Our First Corona, trained by Mike Joiner, was a neck behind Valiant Jess and finished second for the third consecutive race.

Dallas and Victor Pryor’s Cascada B, conditioned by John Stinebaugh, was a neck behind Our First Corona.