The Charm of Corona seeks first stakes win in California Challenge

The Charm of Corona was a nose from winning his first stakes in the $162,600 Vessels Maturity at Los Alamitos on July 2.

That elusive milestone can occur when The Charm of Corona starts as a favorite in Sunday’s $71,280 Bank of America California Challenge at Los Alamitos.

The winner will receive an automatic berth to the $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship at Prairie Meadows on Oct. 14.

The biggest threat to The Charm of Corona may be stablemate Flash N Bling, who was a troubled eighth in the Vessels Maturity. The Charm of Corona and Flash N Bling are trained by Mike Robbins for the Reliance Ranches of Gary, Micah and Leslie McKinney.

The California Challenge drew a field of seven and is run at 440 yards.

A 4-year-old gelding, The Charm of Corona has won 3 of 17 starts. The Vessels Maturity was his best result in a stakes, losing to the multiple stakes winner Bh Lisas Boy, who has since been taken out of training with an injury.

The California Challenge lacks a major stakes winner this year. Jess a Cowboy won the Turf Paradise Challenge Championship in April in his last start to earn a berth in the Prairie Meadows race. Trained by Matt Fales for owner and breeder Larry Stark, Jess a Cowboy was seventh in the Challenge Championship last October when the race was run at Los Alamitos. Jess a Cowboy was second in the California Challenge last August.

Mr Pyc to You is a threat from the outside post. Trained by Jose Flores, Mr Pyc to You was fourth behind Bh Lisas Boy in both the Los Alamitos Winter Championship in February and the Kaweah Bar Stakes in early May.

Flash N Bling was bumped several times in the Vessels Maturity. The 4-year-old gelding was fifth in the Los Alamitos Super Derby last November.