SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS STAKES
By Michael Cusortelli
Corrina Corrina
Facing open stakes company for the second time in her four-year racing career, Derrick W. Jenkins’ Corrina Corrina scored a 1 1/4-length victory in the May 19, $75,000 San Juan County Commissioners Stakes at SunRay Park.
Corrina Corrina covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.03 while making her first start at the 9-furlong distance. Tracy Hebert rode the homebred 5-year-old mare for trainer Gary Cross.
Corrina Corrina was stretching out in distance off her four-length win in the April 7, 1-mile Peppers Pride Handicap (R) for New Mexico-bred distaffers at Sunland Park. The mare is one of 33 winners and two official black-type stakes winners from 50 starters sired by Mr. Trieste, a Kentucky-bred son of Old Trieste. Campaigned from 2003-12, Mr. Trieste earned $605,474 from 39 races, and he won nine stakes in New Mexico from 2004-06, including the 2006 Sunland Park Handicap.
From 13 crops, Mr. Trieste has sired the earners of more than $3.1 million. A half brother to multiple graded stakes winner Nates Mineshaft, the stallion is owned by Derrick Jenkins, and he stands at Jenkins Farm near Hobbs, New Mexico.
Corrina Corrina is out of Scared Money, a winning New York-bred daughter of Carson City who foaled three winners from as many starters. The filly’s second dam, the unraced Deputy Minister mare Triple Bright, produced four winners from five starters.
Corrina Corrina’s third dam, the unplaced Lord Durham mare Finally Found, foaled five winners from as many starters, including Stolen Beauty, a full sister to Triple Bright who won the 1991 Demoiselle Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct, and Finality, a half brother to Triple Bright who won the 2002 Jamaica Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park. The filly traces back to her fourth dam, Bon Debarras, an unraced daughter of the Graustark stallion Ruritania who produced three stakes-winning half siblings to Finally Found, including multiple stakes winners Eternal Search and Gone To Royalty.
Corrina Corrina’s first start against open company took place during her 3-year-old season, and it resulted in a third-place finish, four lengths behind winner Bella Runner, in the 1 1/16-mile, $250,000 Zia Park Oaks for fillies in 2022. All told, Corrina Corrina has won 14 of 27 races, and the $45,000 winner’s share of the San Juan County Commissioners Stakes purse pushed her earnings to $938,870. The mare’s nine career stakes victories include the 2022 Casino at The Downs Derby (R) at Albuquerque Downs, and the last two runnings of the Peppers Pride Handicap at Sunland Park.
Corrina Corrina was sent to post as the 7-5 favorite in the full field of 10 and returned a $4.80 win mutuel. Bender, the 7-2 second choice, ran second and was followed by Bodie Got Gold, Henry On The Run, Loco Luna, McThanks, Charlee Mae, Luka Grazie, Big Event, and Galactic Core.
Bender was coming off a second-place finish, a neck behind winner Presidential, in the 1 1/8-mile, $200,000 Sunland Park Handicap on April 7. A 6-year-old Kentucky-bred son of the Smart Strike stallion Curlin racing for Alfred Alvarado and a $20,000 claim during the Zia Park fall meet, the dark bay or brown gelding has won four of 28 outs, and the $15,000 runner-up share of the purse increased his bankroll to $210,233.
Bodie Got Gold is a registered New Mexico-bred Holy Lute gelding owned by Richard Navarette, who claimed Bodie Got Gold from breeder Brian Mundell for $15,000 at Sunland Park on January 26. The gray or roan gelding has won three of 25 starts, and the $7,500 third-place share of the purse bumped his earnings to $207,428.