News - Racing March  29, 2024

Five Bar Jess Cartel Earns First Stakes Win in $50,000 LQHBA Louisiana Million Invitational


Five Bar Jess Cartel, piloted by Arturo Alvarez, won the $50,000 Louisiana Million Invitational Stakes at Evangeline Downs on Saturday evening.

© Coady Photography

DECEMBER 17, 2022 – OPELOUSAS, LA – In the second stakes of the night at Evangeline showcasing Louisiana-breds, Five Bar Jess Cartel prevailed to win the $50,000 LQHBA Louisiana Million Invitational.

The 400-yard stake was restricted to nominated 2-year-olds who failed to qualify to the LQHBA Million, to be held later on the card.

Five Bar Jess Cartel ($11.60) and jockey Arturo Alvarez pulled ahead by a neck and finished in 19.961 to earn an 86 speed index.

The Five Bar Cartel colt is owned by Fausto Mendoza and is trained by Joel Huitron.

Gerard Hebert bred Five Bar Jess Cartel out of the Tempting Dash mare Jess Tempting to Fly.

The winning connections of Five Bar Jess Cartel accept the $50,000 Louisiana Million Invitational Stakes trophy at Evangeline Downs on Saturday night.
© Coady Photography

The Invitational was the third career win and the first stakes win for Five Bar Jess Cartel, who has earned $62,930 in nine career starts. He competed in the Louisiana Juvenile Stakes at Delta this summer before winning a maiden special weight and an allowance race.

Splishsplash Piloto was up for second by a head with Guadalupe Lucio, Jr. in the irons for trainer and owner Martin Trejo. The Mr Piloto gelding was bred by Grant Farms, LLC, out of the Splash Bac mare Splishsplash.

Splishsplash Piloto has two wins from eight starts and has earned $33,800. He broke his maiden in his debut, a trial for the Laddie Futurity, and finished third in the LQHA Sale Juvenile Stakes at Delta.

Multiple stakes placed filly Rf Debs Dash N Blue finished in third place under jockey Gilbert Ortiz. The daughter of Jess Louisiana Blue is trained by Kenny Roberts, Sr. for Rogers Farm. Tim and Jennie Rogers of Rogers Farm bred the filly out of multiple graded stakes placed Fast Dash N Deb, by Heza Fast Dash.

Rf Debs Dash N Blue has one win and $32,200 earned from eight career starts. She was second in the LQHBA Sale Debutante Stakes at Delta in September.

Completing the field were Oh Hez Fast, Wild Train Fortune, Jj Freight Star, Bigtime Adored, Blue Storm Comin and Jm Tee Cos Mon Coeur.


Courtesy Ses