Rc Corona King Up Late To Win $75,000 First Moonflash Maturity at The Downs In Albuquerque

ALBUQUERQUE, NM–SEPTEMBER 8, 2024–Rc Corona King, under jockey Sergio Dominguez, got up late to defeat Pick Your Pour in the $75,000 First Moonflash Maturity at The Downs In Albuquerque Sunday afternoon.

Conditioned by trainer Gerardo Quinonez, Rc Corona King completed the 440 yards in 21.153 seconds, equaling a 98-speed index into a 6 mph crosswind. It was the fourth win in 17 career starts for the son of leading third-crop sire Eye Am King.

Jose Riojas owns the New Mexico-bred 4-year-old from the Deefirst mare Classyoddsofdeefirst. The $45,000 winner's purse boosted the graded stakes winner's earnings to $232,720.

Also, the winner of the Grade 3 West Texas Maturity at Sunland Park last March, Rc Corona King, was bred by Baldemar L. Parra.

Graded stakes winner Pick Your Pour, bumped at the start under jockey Ali Rivera, led late but was caught the wire by the winner. James J. Gonzales, III trains the Jesse James Jr 4-year-old for owners Orlando Granillo, Azucena Mendoza, and Rene Mendoza. MJ Farms bred the $366,761 earner from the Dash Ta Fame mare Tangled Vines.

Vintage Boudreaux, another graded stakes winner, vied throughout, finishing third under jockey Luis Flores-Garcia to earn $7,500 for the effort. Tony Sedillo trains the Eye Am King 4-year-old for owner Tungsten Racing Partnership. MJ Farms bred the gelding from the Blushing Bug mare Bridgette Bordeaux. He has earned nearly $300,000.

Doing Something Good, Just En King, Dragon On Ice, Fast Flashn, White Lightenin, and Dean Miracles Vike completed the field.

Live racing at Albuquerque returns Thursday with a nine-race card. The first post is at 1:30 p.m. (MDT).