Eyez On Corona, under jockey Jaime Lopez, won the $52,454 Adequan Grants Pass Derby Challenge on Saturday at Grants Pass Downs.

© Vince & Linda Williams

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

GRANTS PASS, OR–JULY 5, 2025–Grants Pass Downs played host to an exciting edition of the $52,454 Adequan Grants Pass Derby Challenge on Saturday, July 5, where Eyez On Corona edged out a competitive field to secure the win by a narrow half-length margin.

The 3-year-old brown gelding by The Cartel Hawk out of Angel Eyez by FDD Dynasty stopped the clock in 19.423 seconds for the 400-yard dash on a fast track, posting an impressive 106 speed index with a crosswind of 8 mph.

Owned by Alberto Renteria and bred in Oregon by Ruben Magallanes, Eyez On Corona is trained by Hector Magallanes and was piloted to victory by jockey Jaime Lopez.

The winning connections of Eyez On Corona accept the Adequan Grants Pass Derby Challenge stakes trophy.
© Vince & Linda Williams

The win was worth $24,128 to connections, boosting the frist-time stakes winner's earnings to $49,198 while adding a valuable Derby Challenge title to the gelding’s record.

In addition to the winner’s share of the purse, Eyez On Corona also secured a berth in the $165,000-est. Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G3), scheduled for October 18 at The Downs at Albuquerque as part of AQHA Challenge Championship Night.

Runner-up honors went to multiple stakes-placed Mysterious Cartel, a sorrel colt by Five Bar Cartel out of Mysterious Night by Valiant Hero. Bred in Texas by J/R Robicheaux and Spanish Moss QH, Mysterious Cartel races for owner Luis Abelardo Gonzalez, is trained by Jose Rosales Gomez, and was ridden by jockey Cesar Moreno.

Mysterious Cartel, purchased for $31,000 from the 2023 Heritage Place Yearling Sale, crossed the wire a half-length behind the winner, earning $10,491 for his effort. He has banked $91,391 in 13 career starts.

Finishing third by just a nose was Tempting Look, a sorrel colt by champion Tempting Dash out of Righteous Look by Righteous Brother. Bred by Carolyn & Jose Adrian Aleman in Utah, Tempting Look is owned by Adrian Aleman, trained by Ricardo Mariles-Santos, and was guided by jockey Jose Garcia-Segura.

Second in the Utah Bred Derby in April, Hh earned $5,245, increasing his bankroll to nearly $40,000.

Pari-mutuel payoffs: Eyez On Corona returned $15.80 to win, $7.80 to place, and $4.20 to show. Mysterious Cartel paid $4.00 to place and $2.60 to show. Tempting Look returned $7.40 to show.

Lee Five T finished fourth, followed by Bee A Tempting Queen in fifth, Soy Catalina sixth, Hunny Moon seventh, Mr Royal Cartel eighth, Coming At Ya ninth, and La Peralta tenth.

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