Owned by Oscar Jaime Diaz and Karla Diaz Gomez, OJD Jess A Bug enjoyed as good a Los Alamitos debut as one could have imagined, as the homebred gelding by One Sweet Jess kept his perfect record intact after outdueling the ageless star Cattail Cove by head to win the $25,000 Azure Three Stakes here on Saturday.
OJD Jess A Bug remained undefeated after 12 stars, his Los Alamitos victory being in come-from-behind fashion as he was ninth after starting from along the rail before flying at the midway point of the 220-yard race before taking the lead while covering the distance in :11.716. OJD Jess A Bug showed that he might be at Los Alamitos to stay after Azure Three performance, as he defeated a stellar field that in addition to the eight-time stakes winner Cattail Cove also featured the 2024 AQHA champion aged mare Jessica Cruz and Grade 2 Bob Moore Stakes winner Heavens Uncle.
Others in this field included Grade 3 Abigail Kawananakoa winner Budderhomesngarden and Grade 1 stakes finalist Heza Good Reason. Instead it was the new kid on the block, the 3-year-old OJD Jess A Bug, who was in the winner’s circle following the Azure Three. Jose Nicasio piloted OJD Jess A Bug for trainer Jesus Nunez.
“One night we decided, let’s go try him with the big guys and see what happens,” owner Oscar Diaz said. “When I see him (tonight), I thought this horse is going to do it again and he did it. It’s incredible. It’s too hard to win only one race and this boy has already won everything that’s he’s ever been in.”
Diaz added that he’s been involved in racing his whole life.
“I’ve been at Los Alamitos about 15 years ago. I live in North Idaho so when we came, we tried and did no good. I had to leave. Now we’ve come back again.”
Every time that OJD Jess A Bug has returned following the running of a race, he’s come back to pose in the winner’s circle. His record includes wins in the Sweetwater Downs Derby and Futurity and the Energy Downs Derby. He also won the Grade 3 Bitterroot Futurity last year and the Hadley/Giles Futurity. His record includes victories at Weber Downs, Pocatello, Sweetwater, Energy Downs 307 and now Los Alamitos. He earned 13,750 for the win to his career earnings to $307,190.
Link Newcomb’s Cattail Cove enjoyed a strong start in search of his second victory in the Azure Three before getting caught by OJD Jess A Bud. The 8-year-old gelding still put together a great effort, earning $5,625 in the process to take his career earnings to $831,545.
Quarter K LLC and Robyn Gordon’s Heza Good Reason earned $3,125 for his very even third place finish, while Clanfield Act Stables’ Special Two Corona ran fourth. Heavens Uncle, Jessica Cruz, Budderhomesngarden, Winners Share, Yippee Ki Yey and Sneaky Kid completed the field.
