Love Me Caliente, a Corona Caliente gelding racing for Jose M. Vigil, earned his first victory in the 300-yard, $75,000 New Mexican Spring Fling Stakes (R) for state-bred 2-year-olds at Sunland Park on Saturday.

Prepped by former jockey James J. Gonzales II and ridden by J. Martin Bourdieu, Love Me Caliente went 300 yards in :15.001 while defeating 3-1 choice Favorite Caillie by a head and recording a 96 speed index. The $36,617 winner’s share of the purse increased his earnings to $37,017.

Love Me Caliente was bred by Mike Abraham. The gelding became the eighth stakes winner from 151 starters sired by Corona Caliente, a son of 1987 world champion and all-time leading sire First Down Dash. Now 10, Corona Caliente is a full brother to two-time champion Corona Cash, and his four crops have earned more than $2.4 million and include 2009 New Mexico Cup Derby (RG1) winner DM Hot Hot Hot, his highest earning runner. He stands for a $2,000 fee at W.L. Mooring’s Double L Farm at Bosque, New Mexico.

Love Me Caliente is also one of four winners from five starters produced by Authorized Love, a 13-year-old winning daughter of Dooley Authorized who ran third in the 2000 Lou Wooten Invitational Handicap (R) at Sunland Park.  Love Me Caliente’s half sister, the Major Rime filly Authorized Rime, ran third in the ’05 Zia Juvenile Invitational Stakes (R) at Ruidoso Downs.

Love Me Caliente’s second dam, the Zevi (TB) mare Zevis Lady Love, has foaled three stakes winners from 10 starters, including Duke Of Houston, a gelding by Mr Houston who won the $100,000 Mesilla Valley Speed Handicap (RG2) in 2006 and broke the Sunland Park track record at 350 yards, and Mr Roberto, a Mr Houston gelding who won the 2004 Zia 870 Championship (RG3) at Ruidoso Downs.

Moon Lover, Love Me Caliente’s third dam, was a daughter of the Moon Deck stallion Top Moon who won the 1975 Blue Ribbon Derby in Oklahoma. Moon Lover produced three winners from five starters, including Zee Vee Love, a daughter of Zevi (TB) who won the $54,380 Boise Futurity (G3) in ’87.

Love Me Caliente began his career on March 26, running fourth in a New Mexican Spring Futurity (RG1) trial won by fourth-fastest qualifier Running Miracle. He prepped for his debut with three 220-yard works at Sunland Park from February 8-March 22.

Whatsthislifefor, W R Aces Fame, Royal Metallic, Famous Magic, Mal Intenciones, Sentenced To Fame, and Call Me Southern completed the order of finish.

Famous Caillie earned $13,590 for her owner, Victory Farms of Ada, Oklahoma. The sorrel daughter of Dash Ta Fame has won one of three races while banking $18,490, and she is a full sister to In Famous Caper, the winner of this year’s Mesilla Valley Speed Handicap.

A maiden sorrel gelding by the Dash Ta Fame stallion Woodbridge, Whatsthislifefor earned $8,305 to push his bankroll to $10,565 for owners Geraldo Cano of Albuquerque and Omar Rojo Rico of Belen, New Mexico. Whatsthislifefor is a half brother to Eight Fortunes, a gelding by Major Rime who ran second in the 2005 New Mexico State Fair Senor Futurity (RG3) at The Downs at Albuquerque.