Page 111 - 18 January 2013

Prospect To The Top goes to his second sea- son at stud with a record of 10 wins in 22 starts with five seconds, and two thirds. Whether he will have an opportunity to add to that in 2013 remains to be seen.
“We’re going to have to think about it,” said Tavarez. “He’s real, real sound.”
May bred Prospect To The Top in Texas from Cream To The Top, who finished second in the 1993 Southwest Derby-G3 and Go Together Handicap-G3 and third in the 1992 La Chiripada Stakes-G3. The mare has pro- duced four winners from seven starters.
Melissa Miller’s homebred Jess Featureme Quick (Feature Mr Jess-One Quick Cookie) ran second with Saul Ramirez Jr. aboard. Paul Jones trains the 2009 gelding, who won the 2012 Hobbs America Derby.
Jones also trains third-place First Blazin Love (Chicks A Blazin-Love At First Glance). Jesse Levario rode the 2009 colt for own-
ers Lisa Saumell (who handles Jones’ New Mexico string), Dwayne Johnson, and Johnny Martinez. First Blazin Love was coming off back-to-back victories in the Jess Burner Memorial Handicap-RG1 and New Mexico Classic Derby-RG2.
Completing the field were TF Featured Effort (Feature Mr Jess-Meadow Creeks Effort), DM Streakn Thru Fire (Walk Thru
Oscar Rincon hand rides Prospect To The Top to a half-length victory in The Championship at Sunland Park-G1.
Fire-Sashay N Six), The Long Knife (Tac It Like A Man-Oodles Of Cash), Miracle Snow (Dean Miracle-Snow Peak), Block N Tackle (Tac It Like A Man-Watchin The Rain),
Llano Teller (Teller Cartel-Annie Eye Over), and Kool Country Man (Country Chicks Man-First Kool Baby). Jess Cuervo and Zulu Dragon were scratched.
RACING NEWS
Sunland Park Winter Derby-G2
OUR FIRST CORONA
by Tracy Gantz
Our First Corona ended 2012 better than he ended his 2-year-old season in 2011. Fifth in the 2011 Sunland Winter
Futurity-G2, Our First Corona was subse- quently away from the races for nine months. He returned triumphantly to Sunland Park
in December to qualify the fastest for the Sunland Park Winter Derby-G2 and then win the Dec. 29 final.
Breaking on top, Our First Corona dueled through- out the 400 yards with Tres Seis Nueve. Jesse Levario on Tres Seis Nueve was asking his mount every step of
the way, while L. Salvador Martinez on Our First Corona was able to hand ride Our First Corona in the final strides. Our First Corona won the Derby in easier fashion than the neck margin implied, stopping the timer
in :19.254 as the 5-2 favorite.
Mike Joiner trains Our First Corona
for Kevin and Robin Allred, who own the gelding and bred him in Arizona. Our First Corona began his career at Ruidoso Downs, where he finished second in the 2011 Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge. He broke his maiden at Zia Park and qualified for the 2011 Winter Futurity by capturing his trial by three-
quarters of a length, the same margin with which he won his 2012 Winter Derby trial.
Our First Corona is one of two winners in three start- ers for his dam, unplaced Hawk Three. The second dam, stakes winner Oh La Proud, produced champions Hawkish and Hawkinson, as well as stakes winners Pride Of Katella, Flame N Flash, Look Her Over, Rare Walker, and Mister Katella.
Juan Gonzalez trains second-place Tres Seis Nueve (Tres Seis-Ya Ya Sisterhood) for the Valle Guadiana Corporation. The colt finished second in the Hobbs America Derby-G3 and fourth in the Rainbow Derby-G1.
Feature Mr Who (Feature Mr Jess- Whosleaving Corona) ran third under jockey Esgar Ramirez. Jaime Dominguez owns and trains the gelding, who also finished third in the Hobbs America Derby.
Rounding out the field were Really A Fantasy (First Down Dash-Fishers Fantasy), Storm Winds (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Miss Wide Open), Fittest (Separatist-Fit And Fabulous), Hauling The Cash (Holland Ease- Take The Cash Willie), Lethal Volt (Volcom- Miss Lethal), and Dashing Yes Perry (Dashing Jess Perry-Mandys Cash Flo). Abra Cadabraa was scratched.
Sunland Park

Holland Ease
Corona Cartel
Corona Chick
OUR FIRST CORONA, ’09-g.
Fishers Dash
Hawk Three
Oh La Proud
SPEEDHORSE, January 18, 2013 109
Coady Photography Coady Photography