COVER 1 - NMHBA SUMMER 2017 low res

By Michael Cusortelli
MESILLA VALLEY SPEED HANDICAP (RG2)
Seis Menudos
Southern Corona
Uno Menudo
Corona Cartel
Southern Policy
Dash Ta Fame
Shes A Hauler
Sent to post at odds of 14-1, Seis Menudos
responded with a head victory in the March
4, $85,000 Mesilla Valley Speed Handicap
(RG2) for New Mexico-breds at Sunland Park.
Seis Menudos covered 350 yards in
:17.212 and earned a 98 speed index under
jockey Raul Herrera. Adam Tapia saddled
the 5-year-old gelding for owner Eloy
Humberto Pena.
Seis Menudos was stretching out in
distance off of a second-place finish in a
300-yard, $33,500 allowance-optional
claiming ($50,000) dash for state-breds at
Sunland on February 3. The gelding was
bred by William McCarty.
Seis Menudos’ sire, the winning Corona
Cartel stallion Southern Corona, ran second
in the 870-yard Woodlands Stakes at Sam
Houston Race Park in 2004. A full brother
to multiple graded stakes winner Southern
Cartel, Southern Corona has sired the earners
of more than $6.2 million from 10 crops,
including multiple graded stakes winner Little
Bit Southern and Bp Shes Southern, and
graded stakes winner BL Corona.
Seis Menudos’ dam, Uno Menudo, is
a 15-year-old daughter of the First Down
Dash stallion Dash Ta Fame. Racing in
New Mexico from 2004-05, the mare
banked $242,511 from nine outs, and her
four wins included a one-length victory
with a 105 speed index in the ‘04 Zia
Futurity (RG1) at Ruidoso Downs.
Seis Menudos has raced exclusively in
New Mexico. A $5,000 claimer during the
2015 Zia Park fall meet, the gelding has won
nine of 19 starts, and the $51,000 winner’s
share pushed his earnings to $160,811.
Seis Menudos returned a $30.80 win
mutuel and paired with runner-up Jess Cruzin
On By, the 5-1 third choice, for a $2 exacta
payoff of $272.20. Princess Jesse, the 2-1
second choice, finished third, a neck behind the
winner, to complete a $908.20 ($1) trifecta.
Play Misty Foreme, Justified By Chicks,
17-10 favorite Seeyalateralligator, Frank N
Jesse, Booyah Bay, Teana Fay, and Major
Moonflash completed the order of finish.
A homebred 4-year-old son of Jesse James
Jr, Jess Cruzin On By races for Yaneth Cabrera,
who also bred the stallion. Jess Cruzin On
By has won six of 12 outs, including the
2015 New Mexican Spring Futurity (RG2) at
Sunland Park, and he has banked $234,292.
Princess Jesse is a homebred 4-year-old
Jesse James Jr mare owned and trained by
Vance Mikkelson of Belen, New Mexico.
Princess Jesse won seven of 14 starts and
has earned $306,035, and her three graded
stakes victories include last year’s Zia
Handicap (RG2) at Ruidoso Downs and
Lou Wooten/Sydney Valentini Handicap
(RG1) at Sunland Park.
Coady Photography
NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY STAKES (R)
shining source
Source
Shine Miss Comet
Montbrook
Stem
Comet Shine
Miss Atlantic
Elvin Gonzalez rode Shining Source to
a one-length victory in the $85,000 New
Mexico State University Handicap (R) for
state-breds at Sunland Park on March 18.
Campaigned by Barton Racing Stables
LLC and trainer Blake Rust, Shining
Source covered her 1-mile-and-70-yard trip
in 1:39.83 while earning his seventh win in
30 outs and first stakes score. The $51,000
winner’s share of the purse pushed the
6-year-old gelding’s bankroll to $228,190.
Shining Source was bred by Susan
Vescovo. The gelding is one of 17 winners
from 34 starters sired by Source, a son of
Montbrook and a half brother to black-type
stakes winners Dinner Affair and Reporter.
Raced at 11 tracks in five states from 2001-
06, including Sunland Park, Source earned
$368,125 from 61 starts, and his resume
included a third-place finish in the $54,150
KLAQ Handicap at Sunland.
Now 19, Source has sired the earners
of more than $980,000 from six crops.
The stallion is owned by Chris Hourigan,
and stood the 2016 season for a $1,000
fee at Hourigan Horse Farm in Anthony,
New Mexico.
Shining Source is also one of two winners
from as many starters produced by Shine
Miss Comet, a New Mexico-bred 15-yearold
winning daughter of the Fappiano
stallion Comet Shine. The gelding is a half
brother to Kimbell, a Western Gambler filly
who ran second in the 2016 New Mexico
Breeders’ Oaks (R) and Enchantress Stakes
(R), both at Sunland Park.
Shining Source’s resume includes a thirdplace
finish, one length behind Weather
Dodger, in the January 14, 1 1/16 mile
Albert Dominguez Memorial Handicap
(R) at Sunland, and a second-place run in
the 2015 Johnie L. Jamison Handicap (R)
at Sunland and University of New Mexico
Handicap (R) at Albuquerque Downs.
Liberty Lover ran second and was
followed by Streaks Bro, Hit A Lick, Ten
Penny Cents, Weather Dodger, Golly Gee,
Shotgun Wedding, and G M Gage.
A homebred 5-year-old stallion by the
Artax stallion Diabolical, Liberty Lover races
for J. Kirk and Judy Robison of El Paso,
Texas. Liberty Lover has five of 16 starts,
including three stakes during his 2-year-old
campaign, and the $18,700 runner-up share
of the New Mexico State University Handicap
purse bumped his bankroll to $317,379.
Streaks Bro is campaigned by Maurcenia
Cross of Fort Sumter, New Mexico, who
also bred the 5-year-old son of Elijah’s
Song. The gelding has won four of 27 races,
including last year’s 1-mile, $180,000 Rocky
Gulch New Mexico Cup Championship (R)
at Zia Park, and he has earned $275,613.
Coady Photography
SUMMER SPRING 2017 63