Crooked Path, Jess Good Reason meet in La Primero Del Ano Derby

Crooked Path, who finished sixth in the $3 million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs last September, can win the first stakes of her career in Saturday’s $227,100 La Primera Del Ano Derby for 3-year-old Quarter Horse fillies at Los Alamitos.

To do so, Crooked Path must beat the red-hot Jess Good Reason, the fastest qualifier from the time trials on March 12.

Crooked Path qualified for the La Primera Del Ano Derby by winning a division of the time trials. Aside from Jess Good Reason, Crooked Path has a formidable rival in Jess Ravin, who was second to Crooked Path in the time trials.

Crooked Path, by Favorite Cartel, was beaten 1 3/4 lengths as a 13-1 shot in the All American Futurity at 440 yards. Owned by Steve Burns and trained by Paul Jones, Crooked Path will start in her second stakes final in the La Primera Del Ano Derby. Earlier in her career, she failed to qualify for the Ruidoso or Rainbow futurities at Ruidoso Downs or the Golden State Million Futurity or Los Alamitos Winter Derby at Los Alamitos.

Jess Good Reason will be favored in the La Primera Del Ano Derby. Owned by John and Cina Sperry and trained by Jones, Jess Good Reason has won 4 of 6 starts and was a game second to Fire at Will in the Los Alamitos Winter Derby in February.

In a time trial for the La Primera Del Ano Derby, Jess Good Reason won by 2 1/4 lengths at 2-5.

Jess Ravin was favored to beat Crooked Path in the time trials but lost her best chance when she threw her head at the start.

The La Primera Del Ano Derby will be the stakes debut for Jess Ravin, who has won 2 of 4 starts.