Kevins Wise Corona, under jockey Jesus Rios Ayala, won the Grade 3, $40,000 Kaweah Bar Handicap on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

© Scott Martinez

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–APRIL 26, 2025–Parsons Ranch's Kevins Wise Corona posted the meet's fastest time at 350 yards while scoring the first stakes victory of his career thanks to a flawless effort in the Grade 3, $40,000 Kaweah Bar Handicap on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by Jesus Rios Ayala, who was making a riding appearance at his longtime home track of Los Alamitos, Kevins Wise Corona covered the distance in a sizzling :17.351 from post number eight on the way to a ½ length victory over Grade 2 Southern California Derby winner Stanley Cartel.

Kevins Wise Corona's winning time bettered the previous meet's best of :17.45 posted by Cattail Cove on February 16. Paul Jones trains the 4-year-old horse.

The winning connections Paul and Marin Jones, assistant Roque Gonzalez, and jockey Jesus Rios Ayala and family, accept the Kaweah Bar Handicap stakes trophy.
© Orlando Gutierrez

Kevins Wise Corona flew out of the gate and had a ¾ length lead early on. He drifted in before finishing strong to hold off Dunn Ranch and Weetona Stanley's Stanley Cartel, who was making his first start of the year.

Sired by multiple stakes sire Kvn Corona and out of the top broodmare Another Wise Lady, Kevins Wise Corona earned $22,000 for the win to take his career earnings to $212,439. Bred by Jay and Char Parsons, Kevins Wise Corona picked up his seventh win from 21 career starts and this was his eighth appearance in a stakes race.

"It was beautiful race," Jones said. "He really ran great tonight. He got out of the gate fast and clean and whenever he does that, he can really run. He's got a lot of talent. It was definitely good to see Jesus Ayala tonight. He's been riding in Oklahoma and it was nice to have him back here tonight. We had an opportunity to have him ride our horse and we were really happy with that. He's a great jockey and we always love to have him in the saddle."

Rios Ayala is a five-time leading at Los Alamitos five and has won 673 Quarter Horse races in his career at the Orange County oval. He has spent most of the year riding at Remington Park where he has amassed 10 wins including the Grade 3 Laico Bird Stakes aboard Bp Hail Mary on April 19.

Jones has also put together lofty career numbers at Los Alamitos. He has won 353 Quarter Horse stakes wins here and 3,891 Quarter Horse wins.  Both rank him second all-time at the Cypress track, only behind Blane Schvaneveldt.

Ridden by Armando Cervantes for trainer Ramiro Castillo, Stanley Cartel picked up $9,000 for running second boosting his earnings to $160,158. This was only his second loss in nine career starts. The three-year-old son of Pyc Paint Your Wagon was bred by Weetona Stanley in Oklahoma out of First Prize Fancy by Mr Jess Perry.

Jess Being A Friend finished third under jockey Rodrigo Aceves. Trainer Elena Andrade saddled the six-year-old son of Jess Being Valiant for owner-breeder Howard Nichols of California. The sorrel gelding out of Six Zeroes by Walk Thru Fire has a record of 4-6-6 from 33 starts and $458,123 in the bank.

The remaining order of finish was Edberg Verde, Cattail Cove, SM Jess Corona, Sneaky Kidd, Price Fixer, Winners Share and RS Shere Khan.

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