Page 168 - August 2022

RACING NEWS
Rocky Heinzig Stakes
CORONA RELENTLESS
Eby John Moorehouse
ighteen was the lucky number for Corona
Relentless. Making her 18th career start, the four- year-old filly notched her first career stakes victory, prevailing in the $16,000 Rocky Heinzig Stakes on July 22 at Fair Meadows.
Trained by Lucio Espiritu, Corona Relentless broke on top from the No. 4 gate and led at every call of the 350 yards. The filly was in front by a head at both the first call and as she went into the stretch, then held off Dox Notta Fox to win by a neck. Jasten Pedraza was aboard as Corona Relentless finished her trip in :17.828, posting a 93 speed index while running into a 13 mph tailwind.
Roberto Zuniga-Rios owns Corona Relentless, who reached the winner’s circle for the sixth time and hit the board for the 14th time in her 18 races. The $8,892 first-place share of the purse increased the filly’s lifetime bankroll to $73,171. She already held black type, finishing second in the past two versions of the Belles Stakes.
Eddie Cramer and Tom and Bill Maher bred Corona Relentless out of Coronas Concierge, a 2012 mare who is a stakes winner herself. She won the 2014 running of the North Central QHRA Futurity at Canterbury Park.
Dox Notta Fox (Wagon Tales-Dox Strawflyin Annie), the runner-up, is owned by Ismael Quijada and trained by Cosme Quijada. Roman Cruz had the riding assignment. BP Primetime (Im A Fancy PYC-BP Southern Mariah) finished third by a head. H E Racing, LLC, owns the gelding, who is trained by Buddy Clay and had Agustin Silva in the irons.
Rounding out the field, Olena Sangria (Dashair-MT Rob This Corona) was fourth, followed by Hooked On A Win (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Pretty Girl Kate), Aly Gator (Duponte-Ima Gator Fan), and Hes All Corona (Dominyun-Shes All Corona).
Cherokee Nation Stakes
CHUNKI MONKEY
Aby John Moorehouse
fter missed efforts to qualify for a pair of
futurities earlier this year, Chunki Monkey broke through for his first stakes win on July 23 at Fair Meadows, taking the $17,500 Cherokee Nation Stakes by daylight.
A trainee of Buddy Clay, Chunki Monkey left little doubt in this one. The gelding broke on top from the No. 4 gate, built a 1/2-length lead by the first call, and then doubled that advantage to a full length going into the stretch. Chunki Monkey held on to win by that same margin, finishing the 350- yard trip in :17.915 for a 90 speed index. The gelding was running into a 15 mph headwind.
Hector Estrada home-bred Chunki Monkey. The two-year-old gelding reached the winner’s circle for the second time in four starts, and the $10,284 payday nearly doubled his total bankroll to $20,675.
Estrada bred Chunki Monkey out of Com Callin, a lightly-raced 2012 mare. The young gelding made his debut on May 5 in the Heritage Place Futurity trials, and also attempted to qualify for the Speedhorse Futurity, making unsuccessful bids to crack the field in both events.
USA All The Way (FDD Dynasty-Jessta Lil Spitfire) made a steady run for second place for Rick and Connie Dickson. Jesus Ruben Ruiz trains the filly, who had Cody Wainscott aboard.
Ietoro Coronado (Coronado Cartel-Lucky Call Me) placed third for Rolando Ortiz. Pedro Martinez is the trainer and Cody Smith did the riding.
The remaining order of finish was Cartels Dasher (Mr Apollitical Dash-Cartelsgracewillgoon), Louis Litt (The Fiscal Cliff-High On Friday), Sara Getin (BV Travelin Soldier-Rememmber Me), Okie Candy Man (One Fabulous Eagle-Eyema Candy Tree), Eye North (Eyesa Cashing Teller-Fed Cartel), and Sheza Prize Wagon (Prized Wagon-Sheza Titleist). Sir James scratched.
Independence Day H.-G3
CATTAIL COVE
bAy Tracy Gantz
fter so many close calls in stakes that added to his
bankroll but not his win pictures, Cattail Cove became a stakes winner in the $25,000 Independence Day Handicap-G3 at Los Alamitos on July 2.
Breaking second from the outside under jockey Ramon Sanchez, Cattail Cove battled with Milan Red. Cattail Cove disposed of that rival and held off the others to score by 3/4-length in :15.433 for 300 yards, while posting a 94 speed index.
Juan Aleman trains Cattail Cove for owner Ralph Link Newcomb, who said that he hadn’t
won a stakes since First Place Queen took the 2002 Los Alamitos Million Futurity-G1. Prior to the Independence Day, Cattail Cove had run second or third in nine stakes, including the updated version of First Place Queen’s race, the 2019 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. He now has earnings of $555,182.
Dr. Steve Burns bred Cattail Cove from winner Katie Katella, a half-sister to Champions Hawkish, Hawkinson, and Flame N Flash, as well as to the dam of World Champion He Looks Hot. Katie Katella has produced 17 winners from 22 starters, including stakes winner Front And Center, stakes winner Wait (like Cattail Cove a son of Favorite Cartel), and five stakes-placed runners.
C Special Jess (Apollitical Jess-Tiny Shazoom), ridden by Jesus Ayala, trained by Lindolfo Diaz,
and owned by Felix Gonzalez, finished second. The 6-year-old gelding won two of his nine previous starts.
Erik Flores’ homebred Milan Red (Corona Cartel-Whatta Knockout) ran third. Ruben Lozano rode the 4-year-old colt for trainer Valentin Zamudio. Milan Red was coming off back-to-back allowance victories.
Jess Beautiful Fire (Mr Jess Perry-Beautiful Fire) and Seattle Cartel (The Louisiana Cartel-Misterious Lady) rounded out the field in fourth and fifth. Gentleman Chuck was scratched.
Fair Meadows • $17,350
350 yards • :17.915 • si 90
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Im A Fancy PYC
CHUNKI MONKEY, ‘20-g. Com Callin
First Prize Fancy Volcom
Shady Caller
Fair Meadows • $16,000
350 yards • :17.828 • si 93
One Famous Eagle
Hes Relentless
CORONA RELENTLESS, ‘18-f.
Corona Cartel
Corona Concierge
This Dreams Flying
Dianetogetcha
Los Alamitos • $25,000
300 yards • :15.433 • si 94
Favorite Trick TB
Favorite Cartel
CATTAIL COVE, ‘17-g. Katie Katella
Shenoshercorona Separatist
Oh La Proud
166 SPEEDHORSE August 2022
Coady Photography
Leslie Simmons, Speedhorse
Amber Mendez