Sunday, October 09, 2011
A $12,500 claim back in July, Rosa's Catena paid big dividends with a wire-to-wire victory in Sunday's 1-mile University of New Mexico Handicap (R) for state-breds at The Downs at Albuquerque.
Rosa's Catena covered his eight-furlong trip in 1:39.81 after he'd set comfortable early fractions of :25.14, :48.79, and 1:13.40 under jockey Macario Rodriguez. Jose A. Gonzalez owns and trains the 6-year-old gray or roan gelding by the Nureyev stallion Istintaj.
Rosa's Catena was bred by Brian Mundell, and the gelding became the first stakes winner from 34 starters sired by Istintaj. The winner of the 2001 Deputy Minister (G3) and Mr. Prospector (G3) handicaps at Gulfstream Park, Istintaj has sire the earners of more than $767,000.
Istintaj stood the 2011 season for a $1,000 fee at John Pomier's Pomerosa Farms near Duson, Louisiana.
Rosa's Catena's dam, Catena, is a winning 12-year-old daughter of the Storm Bird stallion Islefaxyou.
Rosa's Catena was coming off of a third-place finish in the 7-furlong, $50,000 E.T. Springer Stakes (R) at Albuquerque on September 10. The gelding was claimed by Gonzalez from Boyd Thomas and Albert Duell at SunRay Park on July 11.
All told, the Rosa's Catena has won seven of 38 races, and the winner's share of the $50,000 University of New Mexico Handicap purse increased his earnings to $141,430, of which $47,500 has been banked since the claim.
Rosa's Catena returned a $4.80 win mutuel as the 7-5 favorite. Spinning Touch ran second, 2 ½ lengths behind the winner, to complete a $17.20 ($2) exacta.
Brother Louie, Spring To Teras, Brother John D., and Omer's Sure Shot completed the order of finish.
A homebred 4-year-old colt by the Hennessy stallion Touchdown Ky, Spinning Touch has earned $159,725 from 23 outs for his owners, Michael and Jeanne Fuhs. Spinning Touch's three career victories include the March 20, $120,000 New Mexico State University Handicap (R) and Sunland Park, and last year's $40,000 New Mexico State Fair Breeders' Stakes (R) at The Downs at Albuquerque.
Brother Louie is a 4-year-old gelding by the Green Dancer stallion Emerald Jig campaigned by the Solitaire Stable, Lisa Dominguez, and Carlos Gutierrez. Brother Louie has won four of 27 starts and has banked $134,564, and his stakes resume includes a second-place finish to Double Smart in the 1-mile, $110,000 Jack Cole Handicap (R) at SunRay Park on May 7.