Page 38 - 30 March 2012

Oklahoma Futurity-G2
Dash FOr COrOnas
by Tracy Gantz
Two-year-old Dash For Coronas demon- strated his talent to trainer Javier Contreras and jockey Adalberto Candanosa from the very beginning.
“Adalberto helped break him,” Contreras said, “The first time he worked him at the farm, he said he would go wherever this horse went to ride him.”
Candanosa didn’t have to travel for the
first futurity because he rides regularly at Remington Park. Owner Javier Ramirez
of Bedford, Texas, supplemented Dash For Coronas to the Oklahoma Futurity-G2, and the colt not only qualified by winning his trial, he won the March 17 final.
“He didn’t get out of the gate as quickly as he usually does,” said Contreras of the final run. “But in about 100 yards he caught up and did what he does best.”
Ernies Palace got the first jump out of the gate immediately to the inside of Dash For Coronas. Candanosa asked his colt for the big, powerful stride he knew the youngster was capable of, and Dash For Coronas immedi- ately responded. He passed Ernies Palace, and though Midnight Sunlight closed some ground from the outside, Dash For Coronas won clear by 1 1/2 lengths. He stopped the timer in
:15.255 for the 300 yards to eclipse Midnight Sunlight’s fastest-qualifying time of :15.319.
Contreras, who is based at Louisiana Downs, originally planned to enter Dash For Coronas in that track’s Mardi Gras Futurity-RG2 because the colt was bred in Louisiana.
“There was some confusion, and we discov- ered that he wasn’t accredited,”
said Contreras. “So he couldn’t
run in the race. We weren’t
worried because we knew we had a fast horse.”
Since Ramirez also owns Interesting Man, who was headed to the Harrah’s Entertainment Futurity-G3
at Louisiana Downs, they decided to supplement Dash For Coronas to the Remington race. As it turned out, the Ramirez-Contreras team won both futurities on back-to-back days for a highly successful weekend.
“We drove up to Oklahoma on Friday,” said Contreras. “The owner had horses that had qualified for futurities before, but he had never won one. He was really excited.”
Ramirez owns a car dealership and keeps about five horses in training with Contreras. The owner selected Dash For Coronas and Interesting Man out of the 2011 Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale as short yearlings.
“He had picked them out, and those were the ones he wanted,” said Contreras. “I went
with him and looked at the horses physically. They looked great.”
Ramirez paid $6,700 for Dash For Coronas at the sale. Contreras broke the colt at his farm in Kaufman, Texas, with help from his father, Renato. The 24-year- old trainer grew up in the Dallas area.
“My dad owned horses, and I hung around my dad’s trainers,” Javier said. “In the summers, I worked at their barns. I’ve been training
now for about four years.”
Contreras has some 45 horses in training,
but only about 10 are 2-year-olds. The young trainer was thrilled to win two big futurities this early in the season. Dash For Coronas has
Remington Park $358,500 • 300 yards :15.255 • si 94
Corona Cartel
Coronas Leaving You
Lil Bit Rusty
DASH FOR CORONAS, ’10-c.
First Down Dash
Azure Dash
A Zure Royal Request
36 SPEEDHORSE, March 30, 2012
Dash For Coronas was well represented in the winner’s circle after the Oklahoma Futurity-G2.
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Dustin Orona Photography