Sunday, September 18, 2011
Stela, a New Mexico-bred daughter of Stel Corona owned and trained by Mario Montoya, led at every call en route to a three-quarter length win in Sunday's $30,000 La Mariposa Stakes for fillies and mares at The Downs at Albuquerque.
Stela went 400 yards in :19.309 and earned a 104 speed index under jockey Macario Rodriguez, who was riding the 3-year-old filly for the first time in her nine-race career. Stela earned $18,000 to boost her bankroll to $25,046.
Stela was bred by J.E. Delaney. The filly's sire, the stakes-winning Corona Cartel stallion Stel Corona, won eight of 25 outs and earned $111,584 while racing exclusively in California from 2002-04.
Now 11, Stel Corona is owned by a partnership, and he currently stands at Burns Ranch in Menifee, California.
Stela's dam, Specially Dashing, is an unraced daughter of the Special Effort stallion Special Show. Now 11, Specially Dashing has produced one winner from two starters.
Stela's La Mariposa victory was her second win in nine starts, all of which have been made in New Mexico. The filly was claimed from owner Lillian Silva for $5,000 at Ruidoso Downs on July 10, 2010.
Sent to post at odds of 11-1, Stela returned a $24 win mutuel and teamed with runner-up and even-money favorite Corona For You for a $2 exacta payoff of $89.20. Cashy La Jolla, a 17-1 longshot, ran third to complete a $1,158.60 ($2) trifecta.
Zoom To The Money, Corona N Lyme, Chicka Wow Wow, Eyesa Special Lady, and Irish Idol completed the order of finish.
Corona For You was coming off of an Arapahoe Park campaign, during which she won the 400-yard, $20,000 Merial Arapahoe Park Challenge on July 11 for her owner, Hugo Barron Sierra. The winner of last year's La Mariposa Handicap, the 5-year-old mare by Corona For Me has banked $104,679 from seven wins in 23 races, and her stakes resume includes a third-place finish in last year's Grade 2, $55,090 Lubbock Stakes at Zia Park.
Cashy La Jolla is a 3-year-old Streakin La Jolla filly racing for Marcial and Mildred Rae Lujan. A $10,000 claimer during the recently concluded Ruidoso Downs meet, the filly has won three of 15 starts and has earned $36,565.