BLACK FRYDAY BACK IN THE STAKES WIN COLUMN AFTER INDEPENDENCE DAY
Charlie Mejia’s Black Fryday enjoyed his first stakes win since 2018 after scoring a hard-fought victory in the running of the Grade III, $25,000 Independence Day Handicap on Friday at Los Alamitos.
A 6-year-old gelding by Favorite Cartel, Black Fryday’s previous stakes win came in the Grade II Southern California Derby on December 14, 2018. He made three starts in 2019 before retuning to action after a long layoff in the trials to the Grade 1 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship earlier this year. Black Fryday ran a solid fourth in that race and has continued posting sharp efforts ever since. He scored an allowance win over Victorio Jess JQM on May 2 and then finished second by a nose to that rival in an allowance event on June 5.
The two met for a third time in the Independence Day at 300 yards and this time Black Fryday took the lead in their personal rivalry, as he scored a head victory over Adequan California Derby winner Jet Wings One with Victorio Jess JQM only another head behind in third place. Black Fryday has now won eight of 25 career starts and his earnings in the Independence Day of $13,750 took his career bankroll to $368,065. Ridden by Ramon Sanchez, who was picking up his 151st career stakes win at Los Alamitos, Black Fryday covered the distance in :15.428.
“He is a veteran, a real strong horse,” trainer Jorge Farias said. “He’s really nice to work with and got the job done tonight.”
For Mejia, who has raced just a few horses in four or five years involved in the sport, this was his biggest victory so far.
“Black Fryday is the best horse I’ve owned.” he said. “He’s a lot of fun to own.”
Jet Wings One earned $5,625 for owner Dan Moon for his runner-up effort. Arden Sue Floyd Family Trust’s Victorio Jess JQM earned $3,125 for running third. Pesky, Firebrand, Ms Ko and Gray Invader completed the field.
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