Shesa Diamond Diva Is The Fastest Qualifier For The LQHBA Breeders Derby, Roberts Qualifies Three

OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 17, 2018—Shesa Diamond Diva, who was the runner-up in the 2017 LQHBA Louisiana Million(RG1) at Evangeline Downs, will have the chance to earn some retribution in 2018.

The 3-year-old filly was the fastest qualifier from the three trials run for the $266,560 LQHBA Breeders' Derby on Saturday night. She won her trial in a final time of :19.697 seconds for the 400-yards over the fast track, which equals a speed index of 97.

Shesa Diamond Diva has only two previous starts in 2018, winning a trial for the $268,655 Delta Downs Louisiana-bred Derby and running second in the final. Jockey Eddie Sanchez was in the saddle for both of those efforts at Delta Downs and was aboard the filly once again on Saturday night at Evangeline Downs.

Shesa Diamond Diva was bred in Louisiana by Paul C. Fontenot, Jr. She is by Struttin To Beduino and out of the Heza Fast Dash mare, Sheza Fortune. The win on Saturday was her fifth career victory from nine starts. The $4,200 first-place purse she earned on Saturday night increases his lifetime earnings to $328,092.

The brilliant Heza Fast Dash filly Dashnunder Afullmoon scored her seventh win in 10 starts under jockey Raul Ramirez, Jr. in the opening trial to get the second fastest clocking of :19.759 seconds.

The filly was making her first start since posting the fastest qualifying time for the Grade 1 All American Derby (she did not run back in the final) on August 17 at Ruidoso Downs.

Conditioned by Josue Ponce, for owner Rogelio Marquez, Jr., Dashnunder Afullmoon won back-to-back futurities at Delta Downs last summer before capping off her season with a win in the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile(RG2) at Fair Grounds Race Course.

Bred by D & S Racing LLC, from the Dash Ta Fame mare Full Moon Dasher, Dashnunder Afullmoon has earned $593,332.

Stakes winner Eye Am Sizzlin picked up his first win of the year in the final trial to get the 6th fastest time of :19.916 seconds for owner M&D Racing Stables. Jockey Ricardo Hernandez, Jr., had the riding call for trainer Levi Mays.

Jumonville Farms bred the Sizzlin Cartel colt from the Mr Eye Opener mare Eye Opening Jess. A winner of six of 15 starts, the Da Saix Stakes winner has earned $138,595.

Trainer Kenneth Roberts, Sr. did not win any of the three trials with any of his entrants, but three of his trainees are among the 10 fastest qualifiers. Fabulously Black (fourth-fastest), Gunna Be Alright (seventh-fastest) and Cant Catchacorona (10th-fastest) all made it to the final of the LQHBA Breeders Derby with solid performances on Saturday night.

Each of the three LQHBA Breeders Derby trials offered a purse of $7,000 and the final will offer a purse of $266,560 with the winner earning $118,619. It will be one of four finals to be run on Saturday, December 15 at Evangeline Downs.

CLICK HERE for complete list of LQHBA Breeders' Derby finalist, their times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys.

Racing will resume at Evangeline Downs on Tuesday night with a nine-race program. Post time on Tuesday will be 5:35 pm Central Time.

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For more information on the American Quarter Horse season at Evangeline Downs, visit the track’s website at evdracing.com. Evangeline Downs’ Twitter handle is @EVDRacing and the racetrack is also accessible on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EvangelineDownsRacing.

About Evangeline Downs
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