GOTTA CORONA JESS EARNS FIRST STAKES WIN IN DASHING FOLLY HANDICAP

        The multiple stakes placed mare Gotta Corona Jess became a stakes winner for the first time after outdueling 2021 PCQHRA Breeders Derby winner College Scandal by a head in the $25,000 Dashing Folly Handicap on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

          Seven mares were entered in the Dashing Folly, which is one of the new races added at Los Alamitos as part of its expanded stakes program for fillies and mares. The race was for distaffers which had not won a race in 2022. Gotta Corona Jess came in after running twice before this year. Her efforts included a second place finish when taking on males in a trial to the Grade 1 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship on January 30. The 4-year-old mare by Apollitical Jess consistently performed well during her sophomore campaign last year, winning three times while running second in the Sound Dash Handicap and third in the Las Chiquitas Stakes.

          After so many solid efforts at the stakes level, Gotta Corona Jess is finally a stakes winners thanks to fast start and a strong finish in the Dashing Folly. Ridden by Ruben Lozano for trainer Lindolfo Diaz, the Juan Aleman-bred mare covered the 350 yards in :17.632 on the way to earning $13,750. She’s now earned $52,579 in her career.

          Her effort also gave owner Manuel Alvarez (photo) his first ever stakes victory at Los Alamitos. A longtime owner of Quarter Horses, Alvarez was on hand to accept the trophy for the Dashing Folly.

          “She’s a nice mare who has gone from less to more and keeps showing what she can do,” said Alvarez of Gotta Corona Jess. “To win a race of this type gives us a lot of satisfaction. This mare ranks high up there among the horses that I’ve owned. I’ve had other horses who have done well here, but not like Gotta Corona Jess.”

          Gentry Farms’ College Scandal earned $5,625 for her second-place finish, which improved her record to 14 in the money finishes from 22 starts. Trained by Juan Aleman and ridden here by Jesus Rios Ayala, the daughter of Coronas Leaving You has now earned $113,141. Ashley Garcia’s Cotton Cartel posted her best finish in a stakes race at Los Alamitos by running third in this race. The 6-year-old mare by Special Cartel does have 11 top three finishes in 20 starts. She was second in the Jack Clifford Stakes in Sacramento in 2019. Elphaba, Go To Girl, La Reina Del Sur 1, and Roving Kind completed the field.

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