Jessies First Down prevails in Fall Quarter Horse Championship

Quarter Horse racing’s reigning world champion, Jessies First Down, won his third straight Grade 1 race in his third start of the year Sunday, barreling home by a half-length ahead of Major Bites in the $300,000 Fall Quarter Horse Championship at The Downs at Albuquerque.

The race closed out the meet and was one of five stakes on the card, with those races worth a total of $1 million.

Jessies First Down ($2.40) covered the 440 yards on a fast track in 21.17 seconds. Rodrigo Vallejo was aboard for trainer Jimmy Padgett. Earlier on the card, Padgett won the $256,577 La Fiesta Futurity for Quarter Horses with Faster Then U ($4).

Jessies First Down was making his first start since June 2, when he won the Grade 1, $250,000 Remington Park Invitational Championship at 440 yards in a track-record time of 20.77 seconds. He opened his 7-year-old season April 28 with a two-length victory in the Grade 1 Leo Stakes at Remington.

Jessies First Down earned $181,800 for his win in the Fall Championship, and a berth in the Grade 1, $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park on Dec. 30. That race will probably be the next start for Jessies First Down, Padgett told publicity at The Downs at Albuquerque.

Jessies First Down races for his breeder and owner, Ted G. Abrams. The horse was voted the American Quarter Horse Association’s world champion in 2016 and 2017. He is a winner of 18 of 37 starts and is a son of Fdd Dynasty.

In the $177,659 New Mexico State Fair Futurity for Thoroughbreds, Roll On Diabolical wired the field by 4 1/4 lengths and paid $5.80.

High Rate of Motion ($13) won the $145,043 La Fiesta Derby for Quarter Horses under G.R. Carter Jr.

Regard the Rose ($12.40) captured the $134,387 La Fiesta Futurity for Quarter Horses.