HIALEAH, FL—JANUARY 25, 2015—The Ocean King, a half-brother to world champion Wave Carver and champion Ocean Runaway, held off Mesa Marvel Sunday afternoon to win the $27,250 City of Hialeah Stakes at Hialeah Park. It as the second straight stakes victory for the Corona Cartel colt and kept his 2015 record a perfect 2-for-2.

Ridden by jockey Shanley Jackson, The Ocean Corona completed the 400 yards in :19.55 seconds, a 99 speed index, to take home a winner's purse of $16,350. On January 11th Shanley rode the gray 4-year-old to a neck win over Paint Candy Flying in the $27,500 Signature Stakes.

After the race, winning rider Jackson said, “I was hoping he’d get a good toe-hold out of the gate, he did, and I knew we had a big shot from there.”

Matt Frazier conditions The Ocean King for Ocean King Syndicate. Bred in Maryland by Lucas Racing, The Ocean King is out of the industry's all-time leading broodmare Runaway Wave, by Runaway Winner. His lifetime record stands at (12) 4-2-1 and earnings of $57,350.

Asked about sending the talented colt from Los Alamitos in California to Hialeah Park, commented breeder Dan Lucas said, “I felt like he could do well here. He had some injuries to get through at Los Al, he’s over them now, and he’s really showing us what he can do. We’d like to give him one more race and maybe earn a spot in the Hialeah Invitational.”

Owned-and-trained by Ricardo Martinez, Mesa Marvel was ridden by jockey Rodrigo Vallejo. The multiple stakes-placed son of champion Foose earned $5,450 for his second place effort to bring his career total to $41,917. Edward C. Allred bred the sorrel in California from the Strawfly Special mare Straw Flying Lady.

Elianny Estupinan's Texelkas Chic finished 1¼ lengths off the leaders to earn $2,997 for third. Eduardo Morales conditions the 5-year-old daughter of Jumpn Chic out of Texelkas Shocker, by What A Shock. Buford Dugger bred the stakes winner in Texas. She has earned nearly $40,000.

Paint Candy Flying, Nomomonkeybizness, Carters Disco, Dreamnwideopen and Cakebread And Thou completed the field.

Sunday’s other scheduled stakes race at Hialeah Park, the Tallahassee Stakes at 220 yards, was declared a “no contest” because of a starting gate malfunction. The race has been rescheduled for Monday February 2 and post-positions for the 8 horses that went to the gate will be drawn at entry time Monday January 26.