GRAND PRAIRIE, TX – The Heath Taylor-trained pair of world champion Stolis Winner and fastest-qualifier Jess Zoomin, the first- and third-place finishers in the 2008 All American Futurity (G1) are together again in the $342,000 Texas Classic Derby (G1) at Lone Star Park on Saturday night.

 

Jerry Windham’s homebred Stolis Winner (Stoli-Veva Jean by Runaway Winner) raced to the 2008 world championship with first-place runs in the $1.9 million All American Futurity, $1 million Heritage Place Futurity (G1) and the $625,000 Rainbow Futurity (G1). The earner of $1.8 million concluded his juvenile season when he easily won his Texas Classic Futurity trial by more than a length and was the fastest qualifier. He was unable to return for the futurity and had ankle surgery.

 

Taylor brought the powerful gelding back this summer at Ruidoso Downs and he qualified for the All American Derby (G1), finishing eighth as the 11-10 favorite.

 

This fall at Lone Star Park, Stolis Winner was a second in the Dash For Cash Derby (G1) after a poor start. He then came back to win his Texas Classic Derby trial by a dominating 1½ lengths with the fourth-fastest time of :21.548.

 

Owned by the Jess Zoomin Partners, Jess Zoomin (Shazoom-Jess An Illusion by Mr Jess Perry) grew up in a Windham paddock with Stolis Winner. The two horses’ careers have been connected ever since they were foals.

 

Jess Zoomin was second behind Stolis Winner in the Heritage Place Futurity and third behind Stolis Winner in the All American Futurity. They each qualified for the Dash For Cash Derby.

 

Jess Zoomin showed he may be able to finish ahead of Stolis Winner for the first time when he set the fastest-qualifying time to the Texas Classic Derby. He raced the 440 yards in :21.429 while winning by one-half length over second-fastest qualifier Vrrroom (Shazoom-Crystallinas by Beduino (TB)).