REINAS Y CORONAS SIZZLES IN DEBUT WIN, BLACK COFFEEE

AND PORTOFINO CARTEL MRL SCORE PHOTO FINISH WINS

        Juan Humberto Moya’s Reinas Y Coronas was tremendous in her racing debut on Friday night, as the daughter of Corona Cartel won the 220-yard race in the fastest time recorded by a 2-year-old filly this season at Los Alamitos.

          Ridden by Oscar Peinado for trainer Jaime Gomez, Reinas Y Coronas (left) led from start to finish while holding off the game Seperate Interest filly Lovely Evening by a neck in a sparkling time of :12.105. Her time is the second fastest of the meet at this distance, bettered only by M & G Farms’ Golden Boi, a colt who posted a :12.081 clocking on April 16. Out of the Vital Sign mare Electric Sign, Reinas Y Coronas was ridden by Oscar Peinado for trainer and breeder Jaime Gomez. She’s eligible to the million dollar futurities at Los Alamitos, including the Golden State Million Futurity and Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.

               There were two other races for juveniles on Friday evening and both delivered heart-pounding photo finishes. Following Reinas Y Coronas’ impressive win, Guadalupe Bujunda, Jose Flores and Silver Racing LLC’s Black Coffeee outdueled Moya, Robyn Gordon and S-Quarter K LLC’s Dasha Dynasty by a nose in a 300-yard dash. With Cruz Mendez up for Jose Flores, Black Coffeee covered the distance in :15.753, which is also the second fastest by a 2-year-old at this distance. The only faster time was posted by Dutch Masters III’s Woman Secrets of :15.638.  Sired by Favorite Cartel and out of the Corona Cartel mare Coronas Fast Honey, the Silver Racing Farm LLC-bred gelding came into this race after posting a very competitive morning gate drill against Dasha Dynasty on April 3. The two are eligible to the major upcoming stakes races at Los Alamitos so there’s a chance that they’ll meet again.

               The final juvenile race of the night also featured a tight photo finish, this time between Haras Portofino’s Portofino Cartel MRL and S-Quarter K LLC’s Sweet Dasha Fire. Portofino Cartel MRL had the advantage of racing experience, as came into this race after running second to Hitters Count on April 2. Sweet Dasha Fire, who is a half-sister of the aforementioned Dasha Dynasty, was only a nose behind the winner. Bred by Jim and Natalie Montgomery, the Carters Cartel colt Portofino Cartel MRL covered the distance in :15.873 with Ramon Sanchez up for trainer Paul Jones.  

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