Page 63 - 28 December 2012

It took many stitches to fix Matabari’s injured tongue.
and the barn of trainer Jamie Gomez specifically for the Two Million, a move that netted him
the $344,127 runner-up share of the purse. The August Heat previously ran fourth in the Dash For Cash Futurity-G1 and was placed third upon disqualification of the winner in that race.
A 2 1/4-length trial winner, Freedom
Matabari (#8) and Cruz Mendez win the $2,024,275 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity-G1 by a nose.
Choice just missed in the finals to finish third under G.R. Carter Jr. Jose De La Torre trains Freedom Choice (A Regal Choice-Five Bar Molly), who is owned by Jose and his brother, Gustavo De La Torre.
Following the top three across the wire were Separate Interest (Separatist-A Delightful
Legacy), Aha Moment (No Secrets Here- Thrill And Grace), Fires Blazin (Walk
Thru Fire-Thatsa Blazin Chick), Far Niente (FDD Dynasty-Shahayla), Somethin Like This (Carters Cartel-Dividends Declared), Lavish Susan (Separatist-Lavish La Jolla), and Commando Tres Seis (Tres Seis-Coronatac).
racing news
Los Alamitos Juvenile invitational Stakes
MArGAriTAS N CoroNAS
by Tracy Gantz
it isn’t often that a horse improves when he switches from a smaller circuit to the big leagues. However, Margaritas N Coronas
went from doing well in Utah and Idaho to performing even better at Los Alamitos, most recently capturing the Dec. 16 Los Alamitos Juvenile Invitational Stakes.
Secret Dash and Jess Being Valiant outbroke Margaritas N Coronas, but
the gelding came out of the
gate from post one in such a
straightforward fashion that
he quickly took command. With Gregorio Arriaga aboard, Margaritas N Coronas powered down the stretch and won by a half-length over favorite Creole Williams, who was closing strongly. Margaritas N Coronas stopped the timer in :19.842 for the 400 yards.
Gregory and M. Renee
Hickman bred Margaritas N Coronas in Washington, and Greg’s brother Robert Hickman campaigns him. Bret Vickery trains Margaritas N Coronas, who broke his maiden in Utah and won one of four races at Les Bois Park. He became a stakes winner in his second Los Alamitos start, winning The Plan Handicap, and he also finished second in the Wild West Futurity.
A son of Corona Czech, Margaritas N Coronas is
out of the Strawfly Special mare Fly Margarita, who won the 2003 Seven Feathers Firecracker Futurity and finished second in the
2004 Northwest Derby Challenge-G3. Fly Margarita has produced two winners from two starters.
Cesar DeAlba piloted Double Bar S Ranch LLC’s Creole Williams (Jess
Louisiana Blue-Picture Perfect Tee) to second for trainer Paul Jones. The gelding was coming off a victory in the Corona Chick Handicap.
Tres Queens (Tres Seis-First Place Queen) finished third with Cody Jensen in the irons. Cody Joiner trains the filly for owner Abigail Kawananakoa. In four previous starts, Tres Queen had won once, ran second once, and finished third twice. She was making her stakes debut in the Los Alamitos Juvenile.
Completing the field were Patron Platinum (First Down Dash-Platinum Performance), Jess Being Valiant (Valiant Hero-Jess Sass Me), High School Secrets (No Secrets Here- Summertime High), Higher Fling (Mr Jess Perry-Higher Fire), Secret Dash (First Down Dash-Barrymerri), Beg Stel Or Borrow (Stel Corona-Big On Charm), and Slightys Mac A Tac (Tac It Like A Man-Slighty Icy).
Los Alamitos $35,000 • 400 yards :19.842 • si 83
First Down Dash
Corona Czech
Corona Chick
MARGARITAS N CORONAS, ’10-g.
Strawfly Special
Fly Margarita
Timedancer
SPEEDHORSE, December 28, 2012 61
Los Alamitos
Stacy Pigott: Speedhorse
Courtesy Jose Flores