The Dulce Tacha Breaks Through With First Stakes Victory At Turf Paradise in Mark Villa Maiden Stakes.

© Coady Media

By Emily Paulk, StallioneSearch

PHEONIX, ARIZONA–JANUARY 26, 2026– The Dulce Tacha, the fastest qualifier and one of only three fillies in the field, backed up her trial performance with a decisive win Monday afternoon at Turf Paradise to score her first career stakes victory in the Mark Villa Maiden Stakes.

Ridden by Manuel Americano, The Dulce Tacha broke on top to take command, holding her advantage through the stretch to prevail by a half-length. The bay filly completed the 300 yards in 15.563 seconds, earning a 92 speed index over a fast track. Racing conditions were clear with light winds.

The winning connections of The Dulce Tacha accept the $27,800 Mark Villa Maiden Stakes trophy at Turf Paradise on Monday. © Coady Media

Trained by Matthew Fales for owner/breeder H & E Ranch, Inc., The Dulce Tacha is by leading first-crop sire Dulce Sin Tacha and out of Theslatesclean, a winning mare by Corona Cocktail who won or placed in all six of her career starts. Theslatesclean’s record includes a victory in the Prescott Valley Laddie/Lassie Futurity (G3), placings in the President’s Open Spring Futurity (G3), and a runner-up finish in the Yavapai Downs Futurity (G3). The Dulce Tacha earned the $16,402 winner’s share, boosting her lifetime earnings to $26,868 and improving her record to 6-2-2-0.

The Dulce Tacha entered the final as the fastest qualifier after winning her January 5 trial by three-quarters of a length over Tell Misty, and she carried that form forward with a confident performance in the final.

Second place went to A Corona For Me, who closed well after breaking from the middle of the field. The gelding is by all-time leading sire and broodmare sire Corona Cartel and out of Famous Little Reba, a Grade 1 winner by One Famous Eagle with nearly $200,000 in earnings. Bred by Abigail Kawakanakoa, A Corona For Me is owned by Jose Aguilar Mendoza and trained by Diego Cervantes, with Bryan Candanosa aboard. The $35,000 Heritage Place Yearling Sale graduate earned $5,282 for the runner-up finish, pushing his earnings to $7,495. He now holds a career record of 8-0-2-2 and remains in search of his first stakes win after qualifying ninth fastest.

Completing the trifecta was BF Dulce Sin Rage, the fourth-fastest qualifier. The gelding is by leading first-crop sire Dulce Sin Tacha and out of BF Fooserageous, a multiple stakes-winning mare by Foose whose victories include the West Texas Derby (G3), South Valley Futurity, Utah Bred Futurity, and Ruidoso Derby Challenge. BF Dulce Sin Rage, a $52,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale graduate, now holds a record of 8-1-4-2 and earned $2,780 for the third-place finish, boosting his total earnings to $24,804. Still searching for his first stakes win, he is stakes placed after a third-place finish in the AQRA President’s Open Spring Futurity.

Tell Misty, Not Any Dynasty, Apollitical Prince, Your Favorite Heart, Solider 28, and Apollitical Blue completed the order of finish. Bobs Speedysaintjess was scratched.

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