Sunday, September 19, 2010
Corona For You, a one-time $20,000 claimer racing for Hugo Barron Sierra and Romaldo Tarango, scored her first stakes victory in Sunday’s 400-yard, $30,000 La Mariposa Handicap (G3) for distaffers at The Downs at Albuquerque.
Witnessed by a crowd announced at 6,510 on the second Sunday of the track’s New Mexico State Fair meet, Corona For You covered her trip in :19.377 and broke by 14/100ths of a second the previous stakes record set by Buckshot Delight in 2007. Alejandro Luna rode the sorrel 4-year-old daughter of Corona For Me for trainer Alejandro Chavez.
Corona For You was bred in California by Jaime Gomez, and the mare became the sixth stakes winner from 119 starters sired by Corona For Me, a winning son of Corona Cartel who ran second in A Regal Choice’s 2003 Los Alamitos Million Futurity (G1). Now 9, Corona For Me has sired the earners of more than $1.2 million from three crops, including Gallant Corona, a two-time stakes winner who ran second in the August 28 AQHA Central Derby Challenge (G3) at Prairie Meadows. The stallion stood the 2010 season for a $1,500 fee at JEH Stallion Station at Pilot Point, Texas.
Corona For You’s dam, My First Twist, is a 15-year-old daughter of all-time leading sire First Down Dash. The mare has foaled five winners from as many starters, including Separ Twist, a colt by champion Separatist who won the 2007 Gillespie County Fair Futurity (G3) at Fredericksburg, Texas, and First Royal Twist, a filly by champion This Snow Is Royal who ran second in the ’02 Yavapai Downs Derby (G3) in Arizona and was that season’s West/Southwest region high-point 3-year-old filly.
A California-bred foal, My First Twist is a half sister to four stakes winners, including Grade 1 winner and two-time AQHA champion Apprehend and Grade 1 winner and three-time AQHA champion distance horse Griswold, and stakes winner and 1987 El Primero del Ano Derby (G2) runner-up The Guardian.
Corona For You began her career in California, where she won four of her 13 starts at Los Alamitos, including a 2008 Golden State Million Futurity (G1) trial. All told, the mare has won five of 16 races, and the $18,000 winner’s share of the La Mariposa purse pushed her earnings to $50,919.
Racing at Arapahoe Park last summer, Corona For You ran second in the May 30, $16,550 Dash For Speed Stake. She also ran second, one length behind winner Spit Curl Diva, in the July 17, $25,560 AQHA West/Southwest Distaff Challenge.
Corona For You’s winning margin was a half of a length from Blushing Daisy and Anywhere Chic, who finished in a dead heat for second, and she posted a 103 speed index. Walkin Thru Fire, Baby La Jolla, 2-1 favorite Shez Mighty Pfind, Flicka de Fly and Seven Coronas completed the order of finish.
Blushing Daisy is a homebred 7-year-old mare by Blushing Bug who earned $4,500 for her owner, Chaparral Racing Stable of Pena Blanca, New Mexico. An earner of $129,023 from five wins in 23 outs, Blushing Daisy was making her first start since July 3, when she ran eighth after breaking slowly in the 400-yard, $75,000 Tommy “Duke” Smith Handicap (RG2) for state-breds at SunRay Park.
Anywhere Chic is a 6-year-old gray daughter of Make It Anywhere who was racing for the first time since June 27, when she won a 350-yard allowance sprint at SunRay. Anywhere Chic has won eight of 37 races, including five of 28 since she was claimed by owner and trainer Fernando Rascon for $15,000 at Sunland Park in April 2007. The mare’s earnings total $211,526, and her stakes resume includes a victory in the 2008 Buttons and Bows Stakes (G3) at Albuquerque.