Trials For Record $434,538 LQHBA Sale Futurity (RG1) Friday at Fair Grounds

Lee Berwick Futurity(RG1) winner Eysa Jess Jumpn will head 11 trials for the $435,000 LQHBA Sale Futurity (RG1), the richest sale futurityi n history!

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Eysa Jess Jumpn, winner of the $700,000 Lee Berwick Futurity on July 7 at Delta Downs, is one of 109 Louisiana-bred 2-year-olds seeking a top ten placement for the September 8th final.

Owned by Jose Estrada Quarter Horses and trained by Josue Huitron, the filly bred by David Dunn’s Spring Hill Farms and Sherry Dunn, was a modest $11,500 purchase at the 2017 LQHBA Yearling Sale.

The daughter of Heza Fast Dash out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Jess Jumpn, has already earned $372,800. She will break from post position eight in the seventh trial of the afternoon with David Alvarez in the saddle.

Lee Berwick runner-up Mr Coahuila runs in the fifth trial for owner Emmanuel Villarreal. The son of Game Patriot has banked $124,440 in his four career efforts. Jose Sanchez, III will give a leg up to his brother Eddie on the gelding bred by Roy Simon.

Another 2-year-old to watch is Guidry Pride II, winner of the $294,292 Mardi Gras Futurity (RG2) at Louisiana Downs. Bred by Johnny and Cynthia Guidry, the colt is sired by Sir Runaway Dash out of Guidrys Boodie Doo, a winning homebred daughter of champion Panther Mountain, and was purchased for just $6,500 at last year’s LQHBA Yearling Sale.

Trained by Wendy Garcia, Guidry Pride II will be ridden by the trainer's brother Juan Garcia Jr. He ran second on June 16 in his trial for the Lee Berwick and will make just his fourth career start in Friday’s tenth trial.

TDZ Louisiana Toast, owned by Juan Martinez Labastida, ran second in the Mardi Gras Futurity and is one of five $11,000 supplements on Friday. The gelded son of Jess Louisiana Blue is trained by Miguel Rodriguez and will be ridden by Jorge Linares in the second trial.

The other supplements include Mr Range Rover in the third trial. Owned by Ponderosa Ranch of P. C. Inc., the son of Heza Fast Dash was a finalist in both the Laddie and Lee Berwick Futurities. Trained by Bobby Martinez, Mr Range Rover will be ridden by Damian Martinez.

Lorenzo A. Duran’s Runaway Roulette will compete in the seventh trial with Luis Vivanco up. Sired by Sir Runaway Dash, the sorrel colt is still a maiden, but qualified for the Laddie Futurity at Delta Downs on May 19. In the tenth trials, Fmhezadixieflyerrock is the fifth supplement for owner Jose Fabian Hernandez and trainer Eric Palacio. Antonio Alberto has the call on the colt by Heza Fast Dash, who broke his maiden at Delta Downs and ran in trials for the Lee Berwick Futurity, but did not qualify for the final.

Jose Sanchez, III, tops all conditioners as he has entrants in each of the trials. Vann Haywood will saddle seven and Kenneth Roberts, Sr. .has six runners on the Friday card. Eddie Sanchez rides for his brother in all 11 trials. David Alvarez, Luciano Duenez, John Hamilton, Damian Martinez and Luis Vivanco will each have a busy afternoon in the saddle.

The ten fastest qualifiers will meet in the $435,000 LQHBA Sale Futurity final on closing day, Saturday, September 8. This is a record purse for this race, which had its first running in 1984, with the winning connections to receive a check in excess of $195,000. Tony Patterson, LQHBA executive director, feels this speaks volumes for the quality of Louisiana breeding and racing.

"To have a record purse for the LQHBA Sale Futurity is an incredible accomplishment for our association," said Patterson. "As each of the yearlings from the 2017 LQHBA Yearling Sale are eligible to run in this futurity, it shows the commitment of our state’s breeders in sending quality yearlings to Kinder each year. We look forward to the 11 trials and to crowning another Louisiana-bred champion on September 8."

Opening day for the Fair Grounds 2018 live Quarter Horse season is Thursday, August 16. Post time is 12:30 pm (Central) with the $40,000 Treme Stakes (G3) set as race 9 with an estimated post time of 4:06 pm. Stakes action continues on Saturday, August 18 with the running of the $40,000 Audubon and $25,000 Gentilly Dash.

Further information on the Fair Grounds Quarter Horse meet can be found on fairgroundsracecourse.com.