TOP QUALIFIER FAVORITE JESSHAWK RETURNS TO WIN GOVERNOR’S CUP FUTURITY
The 25th edition of California Breeders Champions Night was highlighted on Saturday night by EG High Desert Farms’ Favorite Jesshawk winning the richest race of the evening, the $275,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity. Entering the race as the fastest qualifier from the trials, Favorite Jesshawk was just an impressive in the final, as the homebred colt took control of the 350-yard dash at the midway point and dominated from there to record a ¾ length win over Dunn Ranch’s Party Time Tom.
A winner in the trials in a time of :17.71, Favorite Jesshawk improved his clocking in the final, as he crossed the wire in :17.659. The son of freshman sire A Mere Felix earned $113,400 for the win while improving to three wins from five starts. The victory also gave his sire his first stakes winner.
“A Mere Felix is just starting out and I’ve been hopeful for him but also wanted to tone down my expectations,” said Enrique Gonzalez of EG High Desert Farms. “I got A Mere Felix as an embryo out of a mare owned by my brother Felix. For this win to happen, it’s made my year.”
Favorite Jesshawk was ridden to victory by Ricardo Ramirez, who is best known for his many victories aboard Thoroughbred at Los Alamitos. This was Ramirez’s first Quarter Horse stakes win. Jesus Nunez trained Favorite Jesshawk, who was sent off at the second choice in the wagering at odds of 7-2.
“I’m thankful to Jesus Nunez, who has done a great job with this horse,” Gonzalez added. “This horse has just been getting better and better. The entire team has been outstanding.”
One of the top breeders of Quarter Horses in California, Gonzalez will begin planning a strategy for the future of his young stallion.
“This has been such a surprise for us that we’re still mapping out a plan for A Mere Felix. We hope that the public likes the babies that we have by him and come to see them. Things will depend on that. Either way, this has made my year.”
Favorite Jesshawk’s dam is Jess Hawk, a graded stakes winner with earnings of over $157,000 in her 22-race career. A six-time winner, Jess Hawk won the Grade 3 Miss Princess Handicap at Los Alamitos and was second in the 2017 Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby. She also finished third in the 2018 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship.
With Armando Cervantes up for trainer Monty Arrossa, Party Time Tom earned $45,000 for his runner-up effort. Party Time Tom was looking to join his sister, Up To Party, as futurity winners in 2024. She won last month’s Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity. Party Time Tom is by Kiddy Up and out of The Partys On Fire. Midnight Mood, Malynche, Mas Prieta, Competent, Naive, Listen Now, Low And Fast and Snow Bound completed the field.