Page 150 - June 2017
P. 150
La Plata Stakes-G3
GALION
by Michael Cusortelli
Galion breezed to a wire-to-wire victory in the 400-yard La Plata Stakes with a purse of $30,000 at SunRay Park on May 7.
Prepped by Michael Megariz III for owner Orlando Villa, Galion broke on top from the 2-post and stayed in the lead, defeating the field crossing the wire 1/2-length in front and stopping the clock in :19.557, earning a 94 speed index. The 8-year-old gelding banked $18,000 to push his earnings to $129,018.
Galion extended his winning streak to five races with his La Plata score. The gelding was bred by Jerry Windham out of stakes placed winner Winning Flair.
She has produced 100% money earners from 17 starters. Galion is a half-brother to two stakes winners, including the mare’s top earner First Place Win, the winner of the 2002 AQHA East Juvenile Challenge-G2 and Streakin Flair, winner of the La Villita Stakes.
Campaigned in four states, Galion has won eight races, including the Mile High Derby and was a finalist in the James Isaac Hobbs Stakes.
Major Moonflash (First Moonflash-Prima LD) finished second for owner Fabian Alvarez. Manuel Gutierrez rode the gelding for trainer Joy Marlin.
Cut Loose Taylor (Apollitical Jess-Let Loose Corona) finished third for owner Javier M. Chavez. Albert Medrano rode the gelding for trainer Jose Ignacio DeHerrera.
Easily Bono (Bono Jazz-Easy Launch) finished fourth and was followed by Six Episodes (Tres Seis-Eye Of An Episode) , Fire N Dice (Walk Thru Fire-Dicey Secret), JM Disco Rey (Spit Curl Jess-Disco Del Rey), Only Business (Dominyun- Teller Sheza Doll), Jessa Dashin (Gold Medal Jess-Separate Dash) and Wahoo Raider (Jess A Chicks-Eye Leaving).
Jimmy Drake Stakes-RG3
SEIS MENUDOS
by Michael Cusortelli
The 6-5 favorite in a field of six New Mexico-breds, Seis Menudos scored a 1 1/2-length wire-to-wire victory in the $40,000 Jimmy Drake Stakes-RG3 at SunRay Park on May 26.
Seis Menudos earned a 101 speed index, as the 6-year-old gelding tripped the timer in :19.326 while aided by a reported 12-mph tail wind. J. Martin Bourdieu rode Seis Menudos for owner Eloy Humberto Pena of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and trainer Michael Megariz III.
Seis Menudos was coming off of a victory in the 350-yard $85,000 Mesilla Valley Speed Handicap-RG2 at Sunland Park on March 4. The gelding has won 10 of 20 starts and has banked $184,811.
Seis Menudos was bred by McCarty/Wood/
SW Paving and Grading Inc. A one-time $5,000 claimer, he is one of seven winners from eight starters produced by Uno Menudo, the winner of the 2004 Zia Futurity-RG1. She has produced 100% money earners from eight starters, including graded stakes winners Quatro Menudos and Cinco Menudos, who is her top earner.
Major Bites (Jesse James Jr-Dyna Mo Rime) fin- ished second under Mauro Salcedo for owner Israel Bordier for trainer Cynthia Gonzalez. Play Misty Foreme (Jesse James Jr-Arbor Mist) finished third for owner Robert D. Smith. Alejandro Medellin rode the gelding for trainer Shae Cox.
Carson City Girl (Woodbridge-Racetrack Barbie) finished fourth and was followed by Jess Rueben James (Jesse James Jr-Nitros Cash), and Major Moonflash (First Moonflash-Prima Ld).
Contested annually at SunRay Park, the Jimmy Drake Stakes honors the memory of the late Jimmy Drake, who passed away in 2011. Drake served on the New Mexico Racing Commission from 1980-85 and was instrumental in the opening of San Juan Downs Racetrack in 1985.
Marathon QH & TB Handicap
KINGSBURY
by Michael Cusortelli
Kingsbury, racing for co-owner Javier V. Beltran and co-owner/trainer Tony Sedillo, earned
his second career stakes victory in the 870-yard
Marathon QH and TB Handicap at SunRay Park on May 5.
Ridden by Jose Ortiz and sent to post as the 4-5 favorite in the field of six, Kingsbury stopped the timer in :46.597 finishing 2 3/4-lengths in front to earn an 82 speed index. The $18,000 winner’s share increased the brown gelding’s bankroll to $173,609 from 34 starts.
Kingsbury was making just his second start of the season and was stretching out in distance off of his 10th-place finish in a 440-yard allowance-optional claiming ($50,000) sprint at Sunland Park on April 7. The gelding was bred by Rafter W Stables of Roswell, New Mexico, and he is one of three winners from four starters out of winner/G3 finalist Corona Lane.
Kingsbury is a half-brother to Coronas Feathery, a multiple stakes placed winner. His second dam, Corona Kool, was the sport’s Champion 2-Year-Old Filly in 1999 and Champion Aged Mare in ’01.
Raced exclusively in New Mexico, Kingsbury has won seven outs, including five at the 870-yard distance. His resume includes a 3 1/2-length score in last year’s 1,000-yard Bobby Dan Crenshaw Memorial Stakes at Ruidoso Downs.
Danisia Guzman Contreras’ Fire Thorn (Shazoom-Reba Macintyler) finished second under- Mauro Salcedo for trainer Cynthia Gonzalez.
Funny Munny (Munnings TB-Fodice) finished third under Alejandro Medellin for owner Leann Archuleta and trainer Adam Archuleta.
Bombay Bob TB (Ministers Wild Cat-T.G.’s Girl), Nmoceanfrontproperty (Ocean Runaway-Tell Em Jamie) and Runaway Jeans (Volcom-Go Oppie) completed the order of finish. El Tule TB and Ocean Smoke scratched.
SunRay Park $30,000 400 yards :19.557 si 94
Shazoom GALION, ’09-g.
Winning Flair
Takin On The Cash Keep On Shining Runaway Winner Laleli
SunRay Park $40,000 400 yards :19.326 si 101
Coronas Cartel
Southern Policy Dash Ta Fame Shes A Hauler
Southern Corona
SEIS MENUDOS, ’11-g. Uno Menudo
SunRay Park $30,000 870 yards :46.597 si 82
FDD Dynasty KINGSBURY, ’11-g.
Corona Lane
First Down Dash Dinastia Toll BRZ Devon Lane TB Corona Kool
148 SPEEDHORSE, June 2017
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