RC Corona King sprints to victory in Grade 1 Fall Quarter Horse Championship
ALBUQUERQUE – Earning the first Grade 1 stakes victory against open company in his career, RC Corona King broke on top and was never headed on his way to a stirring win Saturday night in the $350,000 Downs at Albuquerque Fall Quarter Horse Championship Stakes under jockey Sergio Dominguez.
Owned by Jose Riojas and trained by Gerardo Quinonez, RC Corona King broke alertly from his inside post in the 10-horse dash, had a clear lead midway down the lane and held off a late rally from KJ Wildthang to win by a neck.
The son of Eye Am King crossed the finish line in a time of 21.108 seconds, earning an Equibase Speed Index of 99. The win snapped a four-race losing streak and increased RC Corona King’s career earnings to more than $622,000 while winning for the eighth time from 26 starts.
RC Corona King is now a five-time stakes winner. Last year, he captured the New Mexico Classic Championship Stakes, a Grade 1 race restricted to statebred shortliners.
The 5-year-old sorrel gelding opened this year with a win in the Grade 2 Red Or Green Stakes at Sunland Park. In addition, he also won the Grade 2 First Moonflash Maturity last year over this course as well as the West Texas Maturity at Sunland Park.
RC Corona King is out of the Deefirst mare Classyoddsofdeefirst and is another in a long line of successes from the stallion Eye Am King.
Standing at MJ Farms, Eye Am King has produced several Grade 1 champions including King of the Tide, winner of the All American Futurity, as well as Bella De Ball and Just En King.
Sent off as the post time favorite at odds of 2.80-1, RC Corona King returned $7.60 to his winning backers. The $2 exacta with KJ Wildthang paid $51.60. KJ Flying Cowgirl finished third with Nori rounding out the top four finishers.