MRB Racing LLC’s Jest Famous posted his second scintillating victory in a row at Los Alamitos Race Course, as he dominated a field that included older foes in the $35,000 First Down Dash Handicap at 400 yards on Saturday night.

  Ridden by Cody Jensen for trainer Chris O’Dell, Jest Famous was just as impressive in the First Down Dash as he was in his Los Alamitos debut, when he won the Town Policy Handicap against 3-year-olds by a half-length on November 9. This time around, Jest Famous pulled away in the second half of the race to win the First Down Dash by ¾ lengths. His final 220-yard time was an impressive :09.39 – one of the fastest recorded this year – and his winning time was :19.581 over a track labeled as good. Bred by Jon and Donna McPherson, the son of Mr Jess Perry earned $19,250 to take his career bankroll to $389,513. Jest Famous won the Grade 1 Southwest Juvenile Championship and finished third in the Grade 1 Ruidoso Futurity last year and was fourth in the Grade 1 All American Derby earlier this year. He’s won in eight of 13 career starts.

“He’s a really good horse,” Jensen said. “It was a little slick out there because of the rain, so he drifted out as he was running because of it. He was still going strong and fast.”

The trials to the Grade 1 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship in late January of 2020 will likely be the next race for Jest Famous.   

Gary Nutt and Turner Farms’ Jess Macho Corona, the runner-up in the All American Derby, finished second in the First Down Dash while racing evenly with jockey Ramon Sanchez in the irons. Trained by Paul Jones, Jess Macho Corona earned $7,875 to take his lifetime earnings to $596,636.

Haras Portofino’s Coronas Jumpim Mrl ran third and was followed across the wire by Bost Time Machine, Twisted Sifter, Jess My Kiss, and Mr Secret Glory.

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