October 5-6 Stakes Recap

Following is a recap of all official American Quarter Horse stakes for the week of October 5-6. For recaps of most graded stakes, AQHA Racing Challenge stakes and trials, and most stakes with purses of $100,000 or more, see the individual recaps in the Racing News section. This page will be updated throughout the week.
 

Century Downs
Pretty Sweet Jess, a sorrel One Sweet Jess filly campaigned by Jerry Stojan, kept her perfect season record intact with her one-length win in Saturday’s $24,288 Canada Cup Derby (R).

The fastest qualifier from two trials run at this track on September 22, Pretty Sweet Jess covered 400 yards in :19.730 under jockey Ricardo Moreno. William Leech saddled the filly, who was winning for the fourth time in as many outs this year.

Pretty Sweet Jess was bred in California by Veronica Gail Kawananakoa, and the filly was purchased as a yearling by Stojan for $17,000 at the 2022 Los Alamitos Equine Sale. Pretty Sweet Jess is out of Pretty Lethal, a winning daughter of First Down Dash purchased by the late Abigail Kawananakoa and R.D. Hubbard for $80,000 at the ‘12 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.

Pretty Sweet Jess was coming off of a head victory in the second Canada Cup Derby trial. The filly was winning for the eighth time in 10 races, and the $11,244 winner’s share of the purse from her fifth stakes score increased her bankroll to $107,216. She ended her juvenile season with a victory in the Canada Cup Futurity (RG3) at this track.

Also on Saturday, the field was set for the October 20, $59,440(Can)-added Alberta Bred Futurity (RG3).

Sizzles Boss, a stakes-winning son of the PYC Paint Your Wagon stallion JD Wagon Boss trained by Buckey Stockwell for owner Cinch Up Syndicate, set the fastest qualifying time with his neck victory in the first of two trials. Ridden by Amador Hernandezz, the gelding covered 350 yards in :17.859 while collecting his third win in five races, all in Alberta.

Sizzles Boss was bred in Alberta by Glenn Wills. An $11,500 purchase at last year’s Alberta Quarter Horse Racing Association Mixed Sale, the gelding has earned $26,703.

Click here for a complete list of qualifiers.

Evangeline Downs
TF Jess A Eagle, a sophomore son of the One Famous Eagle stallion One Dashing Eagle racing for Jose H. Rodriguez and JC Racing Stables LLC, held on at the wire to win Saturday's 220-yard, $19,400 Evangeline Downs Dash.

Prepped by Barbara Alcantara, TF Jess A Eagle defeated odds-on favorite Patty Wagon Train by a nose in :11.882. Leonardo Rodriguez rode the sorrel gelding.

TF Jess A Eagle was bred in Louisiana by Tate Farms, and he was winning for the first time in four starts at the 220-yard distance. A $26,000 buy at the 2022 Louisiana QHBA Yearling Sale, the gelding is out of TF Jess A Runaway, a homebred winning and stakes-placed daughter of the First Down Dash stallion Sir Runaway Dash.

TF Jess A Eagle was winning for the fourth time in 18 outs, and the $12,000 winner's share of the purse from his first stakes victory increased his earnings to $79,920, of which $54,120 has been banked from eight races this year.

Lone Star Park
Javier Lujan’s Embers Time earned her first stakes victory in Saturday’s 400-yard, $48,110 Dash For Cash Juvenile Stakes for 2-year-olds.

Ridden by Francisco Giles and sent to post at odds of 17-1 in the field of nine, Embers Time defeated Respct by a head in :19.698. Martin Rodriguez prepped the bay daughter of the PYC Paint Your Wagon stallion PYC Prize Time, who earned a 95 speed index while banking the $12,027 winner’s share of the purse.

Embers Time made her local debut with a third-place finish in one of 13 Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) trials on September 14. The filly was bred in Texas by Alejandro Moya, and she was a $5,000 buy at last year’s TQHA Yearling Sale in San Antonio.

Raced exclusively in Texas, Embers Time has won three of her seven starts and has earned $44,943.

Favorite MVP Z, the 9-10 favorite, ran third, three-quarters of a length behind the winner.

Los Alamitos
Fire Of The Mountain sprinted to a half-length victory in Sunday's $35,000 Blane Schvaneveldt Stakes.

Trained by Monty Arrossa for owners Larry and Joyce Mower of Syracuse, Utah, Fire Of The Mountain covered 400 yards in :20.381. Armando Cervantes rode the homebred 4-year-old JR Dynasty Mountain gelding.

Fire Of The Mountain was making his first career start at this track. The gelding was bred in Utah, and he is out of Sheza Signature, an unraced daughter of the The Signature stallion Vital Sign.

"I raised him from a baby; I'm the first person to every touch him, 10 minutes to midnight on my sister's birthday, April 8, 2020," said Joyce Mower. "We're proud of him.

"We'll talk to Monty to see what's next," she added.

Raced in three states, including Utah and Wyoming, Fire Of The Mountain has won eight of his 10 starts, and the $19,250 winner's share of the purse from his first lifetime stakes victory bumped his bankroll to $76,442.

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