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South Jordan • Two-year-old filly JR Czech Swing and 18-year-old jockey Jesus Canales scored the biggest win of their young careers Saturday.
JR Czech Swing broke alertly, led most of the way and held off Champagnediamond by a head to capture the $51,715 Beehive Futurity at the Salt Lake Equestrian Park.
Trained by Ron Moosman, JR Czech Swing covered the 300 yards in 15.481 seconds on a surface softened by overnight ran. She earned $18,100 for owners Robert Hosier and Jay Bingham.
"We just wanted a clean break and a safe trip," Canales said. "I knew when she broke good it was going to be all done."
Not that JR Czech Swing's win was easy.
"That other horse was coming to get me pretty hard," Canales said, referring to Champagnediamond. "But when I went to the left-handed whip, she took off again. ... She's just a really nice filly."
Canales was born in Chihauhua, Mexico, but is now based out of Fillmore, Utah. He has been riding professionally for less than two years.
Asked if the Beehive was his biggest victory so far, he smiled, nodded and said, 'Oh, yes. It is just an amazing feeling."
Champagnediamond, breaking from the No. 10 post, just missed under jockey Cameron Colledge but still earned $7,757 for owner Amber Spencer.
BF Lanes Last Move finished third, a neck behind Champagnediamond and one length in front of BF Storm Driver. Both horses are owned by Birrell Farms.
Utah native Russ Vicchrilli, the perennial leading rider at Arapahoe Park outside Denver, made the trip back to his home state to pilot BF Storm Driver.
Breaking from the No. 1 post, BF Storm Driver fought valiantly on the worst part of the drying race track to finish fourth.
"The inside killed me today," Vicchrilli said. "She broke well and ran very well. It was just a little too deep down thereby the rail."