Page 47 - February 2017

CORONAS FIRST DIVA si 95, $495,773
Champion 2-Year-Old Filly
Breeder: Lepic-Mixer Partnership Owner: Sara Leann Morgan Trainer: Charles ‘Duke’ Shults Jockey: James Flores
2016 Record: 6-3(1)-1-1(1), $495,773, Okla. F.-G3, 3rd All American F.-G1, 5th Heritage Place F.-G1
Remington Park showcases plenty of 2 year olds who go on to championships. Oklahoma- bred Coronas First Diva demonstrated her ability right from the start, and she earned her Champion 2-Year-Old Filly title by racing at Remington Park and Ruidoso Downs.
Duke Shults trains Coronas First Diva for his sister, Sara Leann Morgan. The siblings’ mother, Dr. Jill Mixer, and Tom Lepic bred the filly from $829,353-earner Spit Curl Diva. Having the whole family participate made the season even more special.
Coronas First Diva earned her initial lessons from a veteran racehorse, graded stakes winner A Tres Of Paint. Morgan said that the two horses galloped together.
“She would learn from Tresy,” Morgan said, “and she matured a lot faster than a lot of the other babies.”
Coronas First Diva debuted at Remington, finishing second in her Oklahoma Futurity-G3 trial. That qualified her for the final, where she encountered a less-than-perfect start.
“She kind of broke behind the #4 horse (Good Captain Pepper),” said Morgan. “The #4 horse got in front of her a little bit and bumped her on the shoulder.”
Coronas First Diva responded to jockey James Flores’ urging, however, winning the Oklahoma Futurity by three-quarters of a length.
“She caught on really quick,” said Flores. “I just let her do her thing and helped her a little bit on the end, and she got us home.”
In the Heritage Place Futurity-G1, a more severe bumping incident cost Coronas First Diva all chance, and she finished fifth. But at Ruidoso, she acquitted herself extremely well.
With so many trials for the All American Futurity-G1, just qualifying for the final is a major accomplishment. Coronas First Diva not only qualified, she finished third in the final.
She battled with leader Magical Jess early and remained competitive to the end, losing by just a neck and three-quarters of a length to Champion Imperial Eagle and The Marfa Lights.
Her connections are proud of Coronas First Diva. “When you can take a little filly like that and compete with the big boys out there at Ruidoso, it’s just a dream come true,” said Shults.
Oklahoma Futurity-G3
Holland Ease
Corona Cartel
Corona Chick
First Down Dash
Easy Henryetta
Chicks Beduino
Dash For Cash First Prize Rose Easy Jet
Babys Henryetta Beduino TB
A Classy Chick Sizzle Te Lilsalady TB
Streakin La Jolla Scoopie Fein
On A High
Spit Curl Lark Dash For Cash Some Romance Runaway Winner Precious Stones
Rocket Wrangler Find A Buyer TB Gallant Jet Rose Bug
Jet Deck Lena’s Bar TB Lanovay
Baby Steel TB Romany Royal Jo-Ann-Cat Chick’s Deck Mayshego TB Azure Te TB Jet’s Fair Lady Reb’s Policy Here’s To Lil
Streakin Six Bottom’s Up
Sinn Fein
Legs La Scoop Dash For Cash Yankee Doll TB Moon Lark
Fresh And Fit Rocket Wrangler Find A Buyer TB Fleet Kirsch TB
Go Maggie Go Beduino TB
Miss Fast Chic Sticks An Stones Another Investment
Rocket Bar TB Go Galla Go To Market Hide And Seek Jet Deck
Leo Jewel
Lady Bug’s Moon Casco Rose Moon Deck
Miss Night Bar Three Bars
Lena Valenti Lanolark TB Vera Vay Leadstealer Creole
Grey Sovereign Romany Belle Rejected
Quick Eye
Three Chicks Decketta Mayhego Aegean Goddess Nashville
Blue One
Jet Deck
Sooner Lady New Policy Yenoh Reb Exalted Rullah Jumpin Jackie
Easy Six
Miss Assured
Raise Your Glass TB La Jolla
Three Oh’s Vansarita Too Scooper Chick
La Ferne
Rocket Wrangler Find A Buyer TB Mito Paint
Crafty Yanky
Top Moon
Pan O Lan
Jet Smooth
Sudden Chick Rocket Bar TB
Go Galla Go
To Market
Hide And Seek Fleet Nasrullah Royal Kirsch
Go Man Go
Maggie McGowan Romany Royal Jo-Ann-Cat
Fast Jet
Serena Chic
Easy Jet
Hop Skip And Jump Good Investment Lady Schreen
Sizzling Lil CORONAS FIRST DIVA, ’14, F.
Spit Curl Jess
Spit Curl Diva
Some Kinda Diva
Mr Jess Perry
Lil Spit Curl
Some Dasher
Runaway Diva
SPEEDHORSE, February 2017 45
Dustin Orona Photography