Page 48 - 25 May 2012

miss Princess handicap
PeRRieR CARTeL
by Tracy Gantz
it didn’t say so in the past performances, but hunch bettors in the know would have done well backing Perrier Cartel in the May 13
Miss Princess Stakes at Los Alamitos. Abigail Kawananakoa, who bred and owns the filly, is an actual princess, descended from Hawaiian royalty. She has won the race once before, with Showmethedash in 2000.
Breaking from the outside, Perrier Cartel drifted out a stride from
the gate. Jockey Eduardo
Nicasio applied right-handed
urging, and she came back in without bothering anyone. With several vying together a few strides from the wire, Perrier Cartel proved best by a half-length in :17.566.
Lin Melton trains Perrier Cartel, whose previous victo- ries have come in maiden and allowance races. Melton said that the filly has matured
and has improved at the gate as well.
“She’s at her best at the end of races,” the
trainer said. “She can really finish strongly. Eduardo Nicasio and this mare have really done well together. Nicasio fits her nicely. He doesn’t rush her out of there, and instead he lets her find her stride.”
Kawananakoa bred Perrier Cartel in Washington. The dam, winner Perrier Jouet,
has produced two starters, both winners. Her first foal, Mr Jess Perrier, finished second in the 2009 Texas Derby Challenge-G3 and the second division of the 2010 Evangeline Downs Dash. Perrier Cartel’s third dam, Grade 1 winner Artesias Special Gal, is a stakes-win- ning daughter of Broodmare of the Year Artesia.
Classic Sassy Check (Check Him Out-Classic
Sassy Chic) finished second for jockey Cruz Mendez and trainer Jose Moreno. Owner Jose Uranga claimed her for $3,200 in her last start. Though it took her several tries to break her maiden, Classic Sassy Check was coming off a three-race win streak.
Third-place Jess So Sixy (Mr Jess Perry-Oh So Sixy), who went off favored, races for Robert Williams. Francisco Rubio piloted her for trainer Juan Aleman. The 5-year-old mare won the 2011 Anaheim Handicap and was making her first start since August.
Rounding out the field in the Miss Princess were champion Flying Fig (Corona Cartel-Tender Flyer), Royally Sandra (Royal Quick Dash-Lady McDiva), Breanna Moon (In Excess-TB-Moon Arisen), Oh La Traffic (Hawkish-Coupers First Dash), and Sheza Fast Habit (Heza Fast Dash-Sheza Habit).
Los Alamitos $35,000 • 350 yards :17.566 • si 87
Holland Ease
Corona Cartel
Corona Chick
PERRIER CARTEL, ’08-f.
Mr Jess Perry
Perrier Jouet
A Gal Takes The Cash
Racing news
La Plata stakes-G3
noConi
by Tracy Gantz
now 7 years old, two-time champion Noconi shows no signs of slowing down. Making his first start at SunRay Park,
the gelding captured the May 12 La Plata Stakes-G3 for his 12th stakes victory.
Though he often leads from gate to wire, Noconi broke fourth in the 400-yard La Plata under Esgar Ramirez. Several horses rushed up to vie for the lead, including Rare Walker and Unashamed on either side
of Noconi. The champion
clawed his way back into
contention, striking the
front at the wire by a neck
:19.561 as the 4-5 favorite.
Champion 3-Year- Old Gelding of 2008 and Champion Aged Gelding in 2010, Noconi hails from the barn of trainer Paul Jones. R.D. Hubbard bred and co-owns him
in partnership with John
48 SPEEDHORSE, May 25, 2012
T.L. Jones Jr. The La Plata victory brought Noconi’s lifetime earnings to $1,335,959.
His stakes wins include Grade 1 victories
in the 2008 All American Derby, 2010 Zia Park Championship, and 2010 Championship at Sunland Park. Last year he won the All American Gold Cup-G2 and his second Higheasterjet Handicap-G3.
Noconi hails from stellar bloodlines, being by Mr Jess Perry out of the
Dash For Cash mare My Dashing Lady. Winner of the 1999 Rainbow Derby-G1,
My Dashing Lady was the Broodmare of the Year in 2009, the same year the American Quarter Horse Association named her a Dam of Distinction. Her five winners in six starters include champion Brenda Beautiful, stakes win- ner Going Separate Ways, and stakes-placed Dejon.
Unashamed (Special Leader-Stranger
To Shame) finished second for jockey Jorge Bourdieu and trainer Wesley Giles. Melvin and Marty Neugebauer own the 4-year-old stallion, who won the 2011 Mile High Derby.
Adrian Ramos piloted Rare Walker (Walk Thru Fire-Oh La Proud) to third. Hector Hernandez trains the 5-year-old gelding for his brother Erasmo. A $12,500 claim from breeder Dr. Ed Allred in 2010, Rare Walker ran second in the 2011 O.B. Cockerell Handicap-G3.
Completing the field were A Spring Snow (This Snow Is Royal-Lexines Legacy), Watch Out Bambino (Check Him Out-Watch Her Dust), Quik Brew (Corona Cartel-Quik Jolla), Buildemhigh (Feature Mr Jess-Okeydokey Baby), Rock That Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon-First Tea Rose), and Zoomin Express (Azoom-Sweet As Cash). Klassic Strawfly was scratched.
in
SunRay Park $50,000 • 400 yards :19.561 • si 89
Streakin La Jolla
Mr Jess Perry
Scoopie Fein
NOCONI, ’05-g.
Dash For Cash
My Dashing Lady
Lady Signature
Gloria munoz: Coady Photography Los Alamitos