Pyc Jess Bite Mydust Returns to Canterbury Winner’s Circle in North Star State Stakes
Photo: Coady Photography
The inaugural $24,000 North Star State Stakes went to one of the most accomplished Minnesota-bred horses in recent history, Pyc Jess Bite Mydust. The 4-year-old gelding made his third start of the year and first start of the 2018 Canterbury Park meet in Sunday’s stakes victory, with Cristian Esqueda aboard. Pyc Jess Bite Mydust is trained by Jason Olmstead, two-time winner of Canterbury Park Quarter Horse training title.
Final time for the 300-yard North Star State Stakes was 15.732, resulting in a speed index of 92.
Pyc Jess Bite Mydust is a homebred for Lunderborg LLC, by Apollitical Jess and out of the Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare Paint or More. The gelding was named the Champion Quarter Horse of the Canterbury Park meet in 2016 after winning the open $165,000 Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity; he returned to win the $50,000 Minnesota Derby the following year.
Photo: Coady Photography
Pyc Jess Bite Mydust now has earnings of $167,641. Eight of his 14 lifetime starts and all four of his career wins have come in Shakopee.
Ralph Haglund completed the trifecta as the owner, breeder and trainer of the second-place finisher Jess a Rumor and third-place finisher Jess a Chance.
Jess a Rumor, with Jake Samuels aboard, threatened to upset the North Star State Stakes after a sharp break and a clean trip. Jess a Rumor and Pyc Jess Bite Mydust put a length and a quarter between them and the rest of the field.
4-year-old Jess a Rumor is by Jess Jones, out of the Ivory James mare Forbidden Ivory.
Jess a Chance and Brayan Velazquez led the rest of the pack and edged out stakes winning mare Blacks Cartel by a head for third place. Jess a Chance is also a 4-year-old son of Jess Jones, out of the First Down Devil mare Unlika Angel.
Photo: Coady Photagraphy
The North Star State Stakes is restricted to Minnesota-bred 3-year-olds and up and is a new addition to Canterbury’s 16-stake race schedule in 2018.
Completing the field were Blacks Cartel, Gramma Ella, Shakemupbayb and Rey D Arranque. Curious James was scratched.