Page 171 - October 2016

Conquistador Stakes
PICKLED ON CORONA
by Michael Cusortelli
Aone-time $6,250 claimer, Pickled On Corona earned his first stakes victory in the $50,000 Conquistador Stakes for sophomores at Albuquerque Downs on Sept. 18.
Pickled On Corona covered 350 yards in :17.173 while posting a lifetime-best 101 speed index. Edwuin Lujan rode the Colorado-bred gelding for owner Norberto Morales Perez of Denver and trainer Jorge Morales Flores.
Raced in five states, Pickled On Corona has now won four of 11 outs, and the $30,000 winner’s share of the purse from his first stakes score bumped his bankroll to $66,606. The gelding was claimed for $6,250 at Remington Park in April, and $37,776 of his earnings have been collected since the claim.
Pickled On Corona was bred by the late Larry H. Hughes, who with Sarah Donaldson bred 2014 All American Futurity-G1 runner-up and 2015 Conquistador Stakes winner Mad About The Moon. Pickled On Corona’s dam, the winning mare Pickled Peaches, has produced two winners from as many starters. The gelding traces back to his fourth dam, stakes winner Miss Air Mail.
Birrell Farms’ Bf Fooserageous (Foose-Bf Outrageous) and Joyce D. Erickson’s Queen Arabella (Heza Motor Scooter-Wild Wonder Child), both homebred fillies, finished in a deadheat for second, a half of a length behind Pickled On Corona. Adrian Ramos rode Bf Fooserageous for trainer Wes Giles, while Benito Baca rode Queen Arabella for trainer Donna McArthur. Followed by Rvaliant Chick (Valiant Hero-Rdustys Chick), Jm Mr Evan (Ivory James-Lawanda Fay), Undaunted (Corona Cartel- Jess Genuine), Bye Byefreighttrain (Freighttrain B-Bye Bye Bygones), Fast Ladys Man (Jet Black Patriot-Miss Fortune Lady), Tres Diamantes (Tres Seis-The Cash Of Queens), and Seis Me (Tres Seis- Cash For Kas).
First Moonflash Maturity
KLASSIC STRAWFLY
by Michael Cusortelli
Yaneth Cabrera’s Klassic Strawfly kept his remarkable 10-year-old campaign going with a 1 1/4-length victory in the inaugural running of the $100,221 First Moonflash Maturity for New Mexico-breds at Albuquerque Downs on Aug. 28.
Ridden by Isaias Cardenas for trainer/breeder Ron Stephens, Klassic Strawfly covered 440 yards in :21.419 and posted a 101 speed index. Since he began his career in Nov. 2008, Klassic Strawfly has won 15 of 92 outs and has banked $462,381. He has earned two of his three lifetime stakes victories this season, and was the co-fastest qualifier from the Aug. 14 First Moonflash Maturity trials after finishing in a deadheat with stablemate Fire Stones.
“He’s always been the toughest horse I’ve ever seen,” said Stephens on Klassic Strawfly. “I don’t even have to wrap his legs. In fact, when I’ve put wraps on him in the evening, I’ll find that he’s torn them off by the next morning.”
“He’s old and grouchy - just like an old man,” Stephens joked.
N.M. Hi-Point Aged Gelding Klassic Strawfly is the only stakes winner and top money earner out of 2-time winner/multiple Graded Stakes placed A Classic Song, dam of 100% money earners from six starters.
Stephens also saddled runner-up Fire Stones (Brookstone Bay-Silver Impulse). Jorge Bourdieu rode the 5-year-old gelding for owner Armando Medina,
Jr. Dungarees Version (Winners Version-Forty One Special) ran 3rd under Benito Baco for owners David Hinkins & Ross Hinkins, and trainer Larry Chavez. Followed by Heza Wild Dragon (Genuine Strawfly- Hidden Dragon), June Bug Junior (Jesse James Jr-Sandy June Bug), Mister Brooks (Brookstone Bay-Just A Little Run), BL Corona (Southern Corona-BL Durun), Major Moonflash (First Moonflash-Prima LD), Jess Bordeaux (Jesse James Jr-Bridgette Bordeaux) & Salt The Rim (Southern Corona-Averys Little Bit).
Balloon City Stakes
PILOTA ON FIRE
by John Moorehouse
Pilota On Fire popped the expectations in the $50,000 Balloon City Stakes, winning the event at The Downs in Albuquerque as an 18-1 long shot
on Sept. 11.
Trained by Gaston Valenzuela, Pilota On Fire
broke in the middle of the pack from the 7-gate. She was running fourth at the first call and a close sec- ond entering the stretch, then made a huge late surge to hit the wire first by 3/4-length. Jose Ortiz did the riding as Pilota On Fire made her stakes-winning trip in :19.381, posting a 96 speed index.
It was a huge breakthrough victory for the three-year-old filly, who reached the winner’s
circle for just the third time in 14 career starts and notched her first win in stakes company. Alejandro Flores owns Pilota On Fire, who produced a $30,000 prize that nearly doubled her total career bankroll to $66,153. Pilota On Fire also has a fifth place finish in last year’s Four Corners Futurity-G3.
Bred by the Desiree Princess Ranch, LLC, Pilota On Fire is the first foal out of her dam, Happier Hour, a lightly raced mare owned by Victor Silva.
Easily Bono (Bono Jazz-Easy Launch) captured second, adding another stakes-placed finish to her career. Cuadra San Juditas, LLC, owns Easily Bono, a Javier Roman, Jr. trainee who had Alonso Rivera in the irons.
Cartel Rosie (Carters Cartel-Long Stemmed Roses) placed third for Stone Chase Stables, LLC. Trained by Kasey Willis, the filly had Cesar Gomez up.
Prospects Smashing (Coronas Prospect-Tres Smashes It), Get Down Bambi (Get Down Perry- Chilly Force), Rum Chata (Volcom-Hals Streakin Temper), JM Onfire (Walk Thru Fire-Special Copauino), Good Job Honey (Freighttrain B-Ally Kazaam) and La Baby Jacob (Winners Version- Wreck A Trane) completed the field. Pitchin Woo was scratched.
The Downs at Albuquerque • $50,000 350 yards • :17.173 • si 102
First Down Dash Corona Chick
Special Leader
Mighty Corona PICKLED ON CORONA, ’13 g.
Pickled Peaches
Lucifer In Starlight
The Downs at Albuquerque • $100,221 440 yards • :21.419 • si 102
Strawfly Special
High Fashion Dash A Classic Dash
Genuine Strawfly KLASSIC STRAWFLY, ’06 g.
A Classic Song
Miss Victory Song
The Downs at Albuquerque • $50,000 400 yards • :19.381 • si 96
Mr Piloto PILOTA ON FIRE, ‘13-f.
Happier Hour
Mr Jess Perry Ms Pilot Point Walk Thru Fire Eagles Edge
SPEEDHORSE, October 2016 169
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