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Eysa Jess Jumpn Leads The Field In The $25,000 Billy Montgomery Stakes at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs


Two time graded stakes winner Eysa Jess Jumpn enters the Billy Montgomery off a win in last month's Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile(RG2) at the Fair Grounds.

© Hodges Photography / Amanda Hodges Weir

BOSSIER CITY, LA—JANUARY 15, 2019—Racing at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs will resume on Saturday with this week’s feature, the $25,000 Billy Montgomery Stakes. The stakes drew a competitive field of ten accredited Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds going 350 yards.

Eysa Jess Jumpn has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite. The daughter of Heza Fast Dash out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Jess Jumpn was purchased by Jose Estrada Quarter Horses for just $11,500 at the 2016 LQHBA Yearling Sale. She was bred by David Dunn of Spring Hill Farms in Kaplan, Louisiana.

Trainer Josue Huitron accompanied Estrada to the sale and saw something special that day.

“She was a small filly, but I felt she could be a good racehorse,” recalled Huitron.

His intuition was spot on as she won the first five races of her career, qualifying for both the Lassie and Lee Berwick Futurities. Last July, as the fastest qualifier, she defeated a contentions field in the richest race of the Delta Downs Quarter Horse meet, the $700,000 Lee Berwick Futurity (RG1).

The lone disappointment in her 2-year-old campaign was her LQHBA Louisiana Million trial loss last November. She failed to qualify for the final, but got back to the winner’s circle on December 9 at Fair Grounds with a commanding win in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile. “She came out of that race well,” said Huitron. “Her only problem early in her career was that she was too calm at the gates. We worked with her and taught her how to leave; once she gets going, she always knows how to pass other horses. She tries hard every time.”

Jockey Guadalupe Lucio, Jr. has the return call and will break from post position nine. Eysa Jess Jumpn has won five of her eight starts with career earnings of $425,770.

Tdz Louisiana Toast is another capable contender. Owned by Juan Martinez Labistida, the Jess Louisiana Blue gelding has won four of his nine starts for conditioner Josue Ponce. Jockey Manuel Gutierrez was in the saddle for her runner-up finish in the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile and will try to even the score with Eysa Jess Jumpn on Saturday.

Trainer Joe M. Davis has won the first two stakes of the meet, winning the Harrah’s Dash with Fast N Famous Eagle and last Saturday’s Marathon Stakes with Jes a Spitfire. He will saddle Heza Made Man for owner Martina Carmen Arujo Diaz.

Also sired by Heza Fast Dash, the bay gelding wrapped up 2018 with a nice score in the $40,000 LQHBA Louisiana Million Invitational on December 15 at Evangeline Downs. He will break from post position four under current Louisiana Downs leading rider Everardo Rodriguez.

The Billy Montgomery will run as race seven, with an approximate post time of 3:24 pm. .Here is the field, in post-position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

  1. Heza Magic Coronas (Antonio Alberto), 8-1
  2. Tetris B (David Alvarez), 10-1
  3. Tdz Louisiana Toast (Manuel Gutierrez), 4-1
  4. Heza Made Man (Everardo Rodriguez), 8-1
  5. His Louisiana Dream (Luis Vivanco), 15-1
  6. Jess Run Corona (Luciano Duenez), 20-1
  7. Lrh Mojo Rising (John Hamilton), 5-1
  8. Packin a Punch (Eddi Martinez), 12-1
  9. Eysa Jess Jumpn (Guadalupe Lucio, Jr.), 5-2
  10. Cajun Cos (J.R. Ramirez, Jr.), 8-1

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Road to Kentucky Handicapping Contest Begins on January 19
Harrah’s Louisiana Downs will host an exciting on-track handicapping contest called the Road to Kentucky Handicapping Contest. It will begin on Saturday, January 19 with major stakes races and Kentucky Derby prep races featured each Saturday through May 4. Fans can register at the contest table adjacent to the program stand with weekly prizes awarded and points accumulated toward the $1,000 grand prize. For more information, CLICK HERE.

Louisiana Downs Dates and Post Times
The 2019 Quarter Horse racing season at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs got underway on Saturday, January 5. The 46-day meet includes 12 stakes highlighted by the first official championship for 2-year-olds, the $100,000-added Mardi Gras Futurity on March 16. Live racing will take place Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday with a 1:00 p.m. (Central) post time and will continue through March 20.

To see a complete list of race dates and post times, CLICK HERE

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About Harrah's Louisiana Downs
Located near Shreveport in Bossier City, Louisiana, Louisiana Downs opened in 1974 and was purchased by Caesars Entertainment in December, 2002. With annual Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing seasons, the track is committed to presenting the highest quality racing programs paired with its 150,000-square foot entertainment complex offering casino gambling, dining and plasma screen televisions for sports and simulcast racing.


Courtesy Ses