JOHN DEERE CALIFORNIA DISTAFF SUNDAY

COURTESY OF LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE

BLAZIN FIRE READY TO DEFEND HER TITLE


Leading trainer Paul Jones will send out three talented mares in the Grade 3 $32,310 John Deere California Region Distaff Challenge, including defending California winner Blazin Fire. The John Deere will be contested at 400 yards and features a field of 11 distaffers, the largest for a Quarter Horse race this season.


Blazin Fire, who posted a powerful come-from-behind victory in this race, ended up not running in the John Deere Challenge final at Lone Star Park last year. Instead, she enjoyed a terrific campaign at Los Alamitos, which featured a win in the Grade 2 Las Damas Handicap, a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap, and an appearance in the Grade 1 Champion of Champions. Blazin Fire will look to join Mini Rock as the only two-time winners of this race. Cody Jensen will ride the 5-year-old mare for owners/ breeders Dan and Lisa McMahon.


Jones will also send out the red-hot Mia Jones, a two time stakes winner this year, and the stakes placed runner Strength In Numbers. Owned by Kay Larson, Mia Jones has finished second or better in all five of her starts this year. Mia Jones has won stakes races at both Los Alamitos and Sunland Park in 2007. Benny Rosset's Strength In Numbers will be making her ninth stakes appearance since April 2006 when she breaks from post two in this race. The Strawfly Special mare ran second to Blazin Fire in last year's John Deere.


Felix A. Gonzalez's What A Performance will start from the rail, a spot from where she won against starter allowance foes 10 races ago. What A Performance will also be making only her second start since beating Blazin Fire in the Grade 1 Charger Bar Handicap on January 6. Following an eight-month layoff, What A Performance ran third against allowance foes at 300 yards. Adan Farias expects more from the daughter of Streakin La Jolla.


"She needed her last race," Farias said. "She wasn't as sharp. She was a little flat. I didn't think the shorter distance bothered her; she just badly needed an out. I don't think her post-position makes a difference but I would have liked for her to be on the outside but only because that's where she broke from when she won the Charger Bar. Blazin Fire will definitely be the one to beat in this race."


Jess Maganette, who participated in the Rainbow and Ruidoso derbies last year, will make her second local outing in this race. The Mr Jess Perry mare ran fourth in her local debut when she was sent off at 14-1 odds on July 8. A Rare Cartel, who defeated Jess Maganette in that race, will also be in action in the John Deere. Trained by Hector Jaime Hernandez, A Rare Cartel will be making her sixth start of the year after skipping the entire 2006 campaign. She did run second to Texas Chatterbox in the John Deere Texas Regional Challenge in 2005. Jess Because, Painted Silk, Jess Almighty, Bench Mark Dove, and Love To Finish First will complete the field.-30-