Page 100 - 2 November 2012

Altoona Derby-G3
CoRonA MIt Go
by Michael Compton
trainer Stacy Charette-Hill believed she had the horse to beat in the Oct. 13 Altoona Derby-G3 at Prairie Meadows in multiple stakes winner Cruzin The Wagon. At the con- clusion of the 400 yards, Charette-Hill found herself alongside her victorious charge in the winner’s circle, only it was Corona Mit Go for owners Mikel and Christie Donahue.
Corona Mit Go broke sharply and con- tested for the early lead under
Cody Jensen, while Cruzin
The Wagon was unable
to flash her early zip after being bumped on both sides leaving the gate. Corona Mit Go kept to task through the lane and tenaciously fended off the late charge of Specials Gold to prove best by a head, much to the surprise of her trainer. It was another neck back to Eufaula Me in third. Corona Mit Go covered the
distance in :19.728, earning a speed index of 96. Cruzin The Wagon crossed the wire in fourth as the odds-on favorite.
“I was shocked with the result,” said Charette-Hill. “I figured the other one (Cruzin The Wagon) was the horse to beat.”
The Altoona Derby was the initial stakes victory for Corona Mit Go. She won two allowance events at Prairie Meadows before
finishing third in her trial. Corona Mit Go is the sec-
ond stakes winner out of the 1985 mare Himito Dancer mare Missy Mit Go. Among her 16 foals are 13 starters including track record setter Mr Chivato To You, an earner of $522,207 and a former winner of the Altoona Derby. Mr Chivato To You won the 2005 Retama Park Derby-G1, the 2005 Altoona Derby-G3 and six other stakes races.
Second-place finisher Specials Gold (Voghts Gold-Special Anywhere) put in his customary late run to just miss. The A.C. Taylor homebred was ridden by Agustin Silva for trainer Kasey Willis. Eufaula Me (Okey Dokey Dale-Yawls Spreadn Rumors), who defeated Corona Mit Go in the trial, rallied for third under Berkley Packer for owner John Lawless and trainer Brent Clay.
Checking in behind the top three finish- ers were Cruzin The Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Penelope Cruzin), Kool Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Kool Kue Baby), BP Valiant Man (Valiant Hero-JA Fast Lady), Beda Kickit In (Sweet First Down-Royal Beda Quick), Cash For Wagon Boss (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Taras Streaker), Crowned Silver (Corona For Me-Sky Glow), and Docs Dynasty (FDD Dynasty-Very Striking).
Prairie Meadows $89,622 • 400 yards :19.728 • si 96
Corona Cartel
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Dashin Follies
CORONA MIT GO, ’09-f.
Himito Dancer
Missy Mit Go
Missy Rocket Bells
Racing news
two Rivers Stakes-G3
IRIS CARtelSBADnewS
by Michael Compton
Iris Cartelsbadnews has been competitive in graded stakes company throughout his career. The Warren Garrels 5-year-old homebred
joined the ranks of stakes winners on Oct. 13 when he won the Two Rivers Stakes-G3 at Prairie Meadows.
Trained by Amy Wessels, Iris Cartelsbadnews broke in after the start but grabbed the lead under Berkley Packer. He maintained a clear advan-
tage the entire trip, crossing
the wire one length clear
of runner-up Hollywood
Trickster. Sent off at odds
of 7-1, Iris Cartelsbadnews
stopped the timer in :21.748
for the 440 yards.
The victory was the
third consecutive for Iris Cartelsbadnews, who annexed a pair of allowance dashes
in August and September. Prior to those wins, he
98 SPEEDHORSE, November 2, 2012
finished third in the Dash In A Flash Stakes at Canterbury Downs in July. In addition to the stakes win, Iris Cartelsbadnews finished second in the 2011 Terrace Hill Stakes-RG3 and was third in the 2010 Polk County Derby. All told, Iris Cartelsbadnews has won eight of 17 outings and earned $164,660.
Iris Cartelsbadnews is out of the unraced mare Another Hot Idea, who has also produced
stakes-placed Sunday Irish, second in the 2009 Future of Iowa Stakes, and track record setter Hot Iris Idea.
Second-place finisher Hollywood Trickster (Favorite Trick TB-Hollywood A List) entered the Two Rivers off a win in the Great Lakes Stakes at Canterbury Downs back
in July. Owned by Christine Hovey and trained by Ed Hardy, Hollywood Trickster, a 10-1 shot in the race, closed
from fifth position early to secure the place spot under Juan Vazquez.
Mr Commando rounded out the top three. Sent off at odds of nearly 17-1, Mr Commando pressured Iris Cartelsbadnews early and
held third despite having the necessary kick
to threaten the winner in deep stretch. Mr Commando (Feature Mr Jess-Unloved)
is owned by Juan Cano, trained by Raul Gonzalez and was piloted by Agustin Silva.
Completing the order of finish were Got Courage (Metallic Lion-Sawachan), Jesse In Town (Feature Mr Jess-Whatsthatfillysname), Legendary Express (Ocean Runway-Metered Express), defending Two Rivers champion Jess A Runner (Jess Louisiana Blue-Katiebug Driver), Mighty Quick Shake (Royal Shake Em-Takin Up The Ante), and D E Trubador (Separatist-Wagons Maiden).
Prairie Meadows $67,034 • 440 yards :21.748 •si 95
Corona Cartel
Agouti
Easy Date Dash
IRIS CARTELSBADNEWS, ’07-g.
Merganser
Another Hot Idea
Hot Idea
Jack Coady: Coady Photography Jack Coady: Coady Photography