Page 65 - NMHBA Summer 2017

MESILLA VALLEY SPEED HANDICAP (RG2)
By Michael Cusortelli
SEIS MENUDOS
Southern Corona
Corona Cartel
Southern Policy
Uno Menudo
Dash Ta Fame
Shes A Hauler
Sent to post at odds of 14-1, Seis Menudos responded with a head victory in the March
4, $85,000 Mesilla Valley Speed Handicap (RG2) for New Mexico-breds at Sunland Park.
Seis Menudos covered 350 yards in :17.212 and earned a 98 speed index under jockey Raul Herrera. Adam Tapia saddled the 5-year-old gelding for owner Eloy Humberto Pena.
Seis Menudos was stretching out in distance off of a second-place finish in a 300-yard, $33,500 allowance-optional claiming ($50,000) dash for state-breds at Sunland on February 3. The gelding was bred by William McCarty.
Seis Menudos’ sire, the winning Corona Cartel stallion Southern Corona, ran second in the 870-yard Woodlands Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park in 2004. A full brother to multiple graded stakes winner Southern Cartel, Southern Corona has sired the earners of more than $6.2 million from 10 crops, including multiple graded stakes winner Little
Bit Southern and Bp Shes Southern, and graded stakes winner BL Corona.
Seis Menudos’ dam, Uno Menudo, is a 15-year-old daughter of the First Down Dash stallion Dash Ta Fame. Racing in New Mexico from 2004-05, the mare banked $242,511 from nine outs, and her four wins included a one-length victory with a 105 speed index in the ‘04 Zia Futurity (RG1) at Ruidoso Downs.
Seis Menudos has raced exclusively in New Mexico. A $5,000 claimer during the 2015 Zia Park fall meet, the gelding has won nine of 19 starts, and the $51,000 winner’s share pushed his earnings to $160,811.
Seis Menudos returned a $30.80 win mutuel and paired with runner-up Jess Cruzin On By, the 5-1 third choice, for a $2 exacta payoff of $272.20. Princess Jesse, the 2-1 second choice, finished third, a neck behind the winner, to complete a $908.20 ($1) trifecta.
Play Misty Foreme, Justified By Chicks, 17-10 favorite Seeyalateralligator, Frank N
Jesse, Booyah Bay, Teana Fay, and Major Moonflash completed the order of finish.
A homebred 4-year-old son of Jesse James Jr, Jess Cruzin On By races for Yaneth Cabrera, who also bred the stallion. Jess Cruzin On
By has won six of 12 outs, including the
2015 New Mexican Spring Futurity (RG2) at Sunland Park, and he has banked $234,292.
Princess Jesse is a homebred 4-year-old Jesse James Jr mare owned and trained by Vance Mikkelson of Belen, New Mexico. Princess Jesse won seven of 14 starts and has earned $306,035, and her three graded stakes victories include last year’s Zia Handicap (RG2) at Ruidoso Downs and Lou Wooten/Sydney Valentini Handicap (RG1) at Sunland Park.
NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY STAKES (R)
SHINING SOURCE
Source
Montbrook
Stem
Shine Miss Comet
Comet Shine
Miss Atlantic
Elvin Gonzalez rode Shining Source to a one-length victory in the $85,000 New Mexico State University Handicap (R) for state-breds at Sunland Park on March 18.
Campaigned by Barton Racing Stables LLC and trainer Blake Rust, Shining Source covered her 1-mile-and-70-yard trip in 1:39.83 while earning his seventh win in 30 outs and first stakes score. The $51,000 winner’s share of the purse pushed the 6-year-old gelding’s bankroll to $228,190.
Shining Source was bred by Susan Vescovo. The gelding is one of 17 winners from 34 starters sired by Source, a son of Montbrook and a half brother to black-type stakes winners Dinner Affair and Reporter. Raced at 11 tracks in five states from 2001- 06, including Sunland Park, Source earned $368,125 from 61 starts, and his resume included a third-place finish in the $54,150 KLAQ Handicap at Sunland.
Now 19, Source has sired the earners of more than $980,000 from six crops.
The stallion is owned by Chris Hourigan, and stood the 2016 season for a $1,000 fee at Hourigan Horse Farm in Anthony, New Mexico.
Shining Source is also one of two winners from as many starters produced by Shine Miss Comet, a New Mexico-bred 15-year- old winning daughter of the Fappiano stallion Comet Shine. The gelding is a half brother to Kimbell, a Western Gambler filly who ran second in the 2016 New Mexico Breeders’ Oaks (R) and Enchantress Stakes (R), both at Sunland Park.
Shining Source’s resume includes a third- place finish, one length behind Weather Dodger, in the January 14, 1 1/16 mile Albert Dominguez Memorial Handicap
(R) at Sunland, and a second-place run in the 2015 Johnie L. Jamison Handicap (R) at Sunland and University of New Mexico Handicap (R) at Albuquerque Downs.
Liberty Lover ran second and was followed by Streaks Bro, Hit A Lick, Ten
Penny Cents, Weather Dodger, Golly Gee, Shotgun Wedding, and G M Gage.
A homebred 5-year-old stallion by the Artax stallion Diabolical, Liberty Lover races for J. Kirk and Judy Robison of El Paso, Texas. Liberty Lover has five of 16 starts, including three stakes during his 2-year-old campaign, and the $18,700 runner-up share of the New Mexico State University Handicap purse bumped his bankroll to $317,379.
Streaks Bro is campaigned by Maurcenia Cross of Fort Sumter, New Mexico, who also bred the 5-year-old son of Elijah’s Song. The gelding has won four of 27 races, including last year’s 1-mile, $180,000 Rocky Gulch New Mexico Cup Championship (R) at Zia Park, and he has earned $275,613.
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Coady Photography Coady Photography