All American Derby Qualifier: Eyein This Feature

EYEIN THIS FEATURE
B.c. Feature Mr Jess-This Girl Is Special by Special Effort

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Race Record: 10-2-1-0 $23,300

Breeder: J.E./D.C./C.T. Jumonville (LA)
Owner: Robert Sanchez
Trainer: Juan Gonzalez
Qualifying Jockey: Jaime Parga Leos
Qualifying Time: :21.433 (Trial 7)

Race Record: Eyein This Feature will make his stakes debut in the All American Derby. One of three horses to qualify once the Ruidoso surface was inundated with rain, Eyein This Feature won the seventh trial by 1 1/2 lengths at 13-1 odds over Ruidoso Derby (G1) winner Executive Brass.

Breeders: Among the top horses bred by the Jumonville family of Ventress, Louisiana, is top runner and sire Feature Mr Jess ($539,327), as well as champion and sire Jess Louisiana Blue ($170,682). Their horses have won more than $4 million on the track and also includes multiple Grade 1 winner A Stoli Mate ($431,263).

Owner: Robert Sanchez of Alcalde, New Mexico, bought the horse at the 2010 Ruidoso Select Sale. Since 2004, has owned the winners of 15 of 121 starts, with earnings of $158,525.

“We really liked him,” Sanchez said. “We liked his bloodlines. Just like any purchase, it’s always a gamble. We invested I think $27,000 on him, and he’s improved every race.

“We always knew this horse and what he had the potential of doing,” Sanchez added. “He ran with Ochoa and some of the other big horses in the Rainbow Derby trial, and he was leading up to probably 350 yards, then he got tired. We knew coming in that he had something in him.”

Sanchez also said he wanted to thank trainer Juan Gonzalez and jockey Jaime Parga Leos for their work with the horse.

“(Juan) has been instrumental in getting this horse to another level,” Sanchez said. “He’s really improved him this year.”
 
Trainer: Juan Gonzalez has since 1989 trained the winners of 405 races from 2,879 starts, with more than $9.6 million in earnings. His horses include 2003 All American Futurity winner By By JJ, as well as Restricted Grade 1 winners A Streak Regard, A Streak Again, Ms Regard, Genuine Streaker, Streak Of Sixes, Snow Regard and Gonna Cha Cha.

Qualifying Jockey: In only his third year of race riding, Jaime Parga Leos has from 889 starts won 113 races and earned $2,231,186. Last year he was aboard Snow Regard when she won the New Mexico Fillies and Mares Championship (RG1).

Pedigree: The late Feature Mr Jess was a two-time Grade 1 winner with $539,327 in career earnings. The successful sire from eight crops has sired the earners of more than $19.3 million, including All American Futurity winner Heartswideopen.

The unraced Special Effort mare This Girl Is Special is a half sister to champion Jess Louisiana Blue (by Mr Jess Perry, $170,682) and six-figure earners Fed Ex Together (by Call Me Together, $111,784), Louisiana Eye Opener (by Mr Eye Opener, $151,254), Jessthelouisianagirl (by Mr Jess Perry, $122,904) and The Louisiana Cartel (by Corona Cartel, $127,941). Bred and owned by Jumonville Farms, from eight starters she has produced six winners, including full sibling and Grade 2 winner Thisfeatureisspecial ($76,582).