Page 138 - November 2017
P. 138
PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity-G2
KVN CORONA
by Tracy Gantz
KVN Corona, named by owner Keith Nellesen for New England Patriots line- backer Kyle Van Noy, started his racing career
before this year’s NFL season began. But when it came time for the PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity-G2 at Los Alamitos, the colt and his namesake were in sync.
The PCQHRA trials were scheduled for Sept. 17, the same day the Patriots were due to play the New Orleans Saints. KVN Corona qualified the fastest with a 2 1/4-length vic- tory as Van Noy helped the Patriots defeat the Saints, 36-20. Then on Oct. 5, two days before the PCQHRA final, Van Noy and the Patriots defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 19-14, followed by KVN Corona’s victory in the PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity.
The Patriots need to have KVN Corona race more often. In the first five weeks of the NFL season, the Patriots won the two times KVN Corona competed and lost three other times, when the colt stayed in the barn.
KVN Corona managed to win the PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity despite a less- than-perfect start.
“He broke a little off tonight,” said Paul Jones, who trains KVN Corona. “He lost his
footing a touch and kind of brushed the horse inside him, but not too bad. He didn’t get to the lead right away.”
Jockey Ramon Sanchez didn’t panic. Instead, according to Jones, “He let the horse gather himself up and get his feet back under him, and then he asked him to run about midway.”
KVN Corona responded
to Sanchez and gained
momentum. The colt collared his rivals to win by a head in :17.671 for 350 yards.
“This horse is just a great horse,” said Jones. “I can’t say much more for this horse. He’s been 100% perfect so far. He’s won two futurities. He’s just a pleasure to train. Great horses make good trainers.”
KVN Corona has never lost a race. Prior to the PCQHRA, he captured a maiden race and his trial and final of the Ed Burke Million Futurity-G1. Nellesen said that he and Jones would likely point KVN Corona to the Los Alamitos $2 Million Futurity-G1 at the end of the year.
Nellesen, who bred KVN Corona in Utah in the name of his McColee Land & Livestock LLC, named the colt for Van Noy, a close fam- ily friend.
“My kids are here tonight, and Kyle is like our child,” said Nellesen. “My youngest daughter actually thinks he’s her brother.”
Nellesen admitted to being nervous when KVN Corona
was such a heavy favorite at 1-5.
“He showed his class and refused to lose,”
said Nellesen. “I’d like to get him out of the gate a little faster, but all that matters is that he got to the end first.”
Nellesen offered KVN Corona at the 2016 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale through the Lazy E Ranch consignment. He decided to keep the colt, though, and bid on him at $140,000.
KVN Corona is out of Executive Looks, winner of the 2008 Manor Downs Futurity-G1, 2009 Classic Chevrolet Heartbeat of America Stakes-RG3, and 2009 La Villita Stakes. Executive Looks
Los Alamitos $382,200 350 yards :17.671 si 91
Holland Ease
Corona Cartel
Corona Chick
KVN CORONA, ’15-c.
Executive Menace
Executive Looks
Sticky N Picky
136 SPEEDHORSE, November 2017
KVN Corona and Ramon Sanchez win the $382,200 PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity-G2 by a head.
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