Page 170 - Speedhorse, December 2018

AQHA Challenge Championship Weekend
Adequan Derby Challenge Championship-G3
CORONA RANGER
By Tracy Gantz
Corona Ranger is small, but he’s mighty. His desire to win got him to the finish line in first place in the Nov. 17 Adequan Derby Challenge Championship-G3
at Los Alamitos.
“He’s had a couple of stumbles at the gate and gotten banged around,” said owner Vanessa Bartoo of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. “You’ve just got to love that little horse because no matter what happens to him, he gives it all he’s got and tries the best he can.”
Drawn on the outside
in the Derby Challenge
Championship, Corona Ranger
got a clean trip under jockey Agustin Silva. He raced in second early and came on strongly to win by 1/2-length in :19.752 for 400 yards.
“That was probably his most perfect race,” said Bartoo. “He never got touched or bumped. He finally had a clean shot.”
John Stinebaugh trains Corona Ranger for Bartoo. They bought him from the Lazy E Ranch consignment for $40,000 at the 2016 Ruidoso
Select Sale. Corona Ranger was winning his 2nd stakes, following the 2017 Evangeline Downs Futurity. He was also 2nd in the 2018 Adequan Ruidoso Derby Challenge.
“He drives me nuts some- times,” said Bartoo, “because when you’re in the paddock with him it’s like, ‘All right, dude, we need to get a little more pumped up for this.’ He’s just so calm and quiet.”
Bartoo said that she has entered Corona Ranger in
the 2019 Heritage Place January Mixed Sale. Bollenbach Farms bred Corona Ranger in
Oklahoma from its homebred stakes win- ner Azoom Babe. The mare has produced seven winners in 10 starters, including 2016 Rainbow Derby-G1 winner Valiant Rogue.
Kelly Perez’s homebred Mi Amor Secreto (The Louisiana Cartel-Streakin In Secret) fin- ished second for jockey Santos Carrizales and trainer Edelmiro Carrizales. The gelding won the 2018 Adequan Ruidoso Derby Challenge.
Cristian Esqueda rode Painted Dynasty (FDD Dynasty-Tygers Painted Girl) to third. Jason Olmstead trains the filly for owner Thomas Scheckel. Painted Dynasty won the 2018 Adequan Prairie Meadows Derby Challenge.
Completing the field were Vallerro (Valiant Hero-Perrys Queen Bug), Favorite Bling (Favorite Cartel-Spring Bling), High Valley Girl (Valiant Hero-Huckleberry Mojito), L
Bar D Razle Dazle (Ragazzo-Dash Home Deb), SC Vapor Trail (Corona Cartel-Spit Curl Diva), Walcott (Tee Cox-Jess Maganette), and Apollitical Approach (Apollitical Jess-Panther Not A Kitty).
Los Alamitos $150,000 • 400 yards :19.752 • si 93
Holland Ease
Corona Cartel
Corona Chick
CORONA RANGER, ’15-g.
Azoom
Azoom Babe
Miss Stocks N Bonds
Corona Ranger’s winning connections include owner Vanessa Bartoo (right), trainer John Stinebaugh and jockey Agustin Silva.
Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos