Lone Star: Queena Corrina horse for course

Trainer Donnie Von Hemel has been graced with high-class turf fillies the last two years, Bien Nicole in 2003 and Bedanken in 2004. Queena Corrina might not be in the same class, but she is plenty good over the Lone Star turf course, where she won the $75,000 Irving Distaff in her first start of the year.

A 6-year-old mare by the little-known stallion Here We Come, Queena Corrina beat defending champion Janeian by 2 1/2 lengths, scoring the best win of her career. Bred and owned by Stan Wilson, Queena Corrina won for the fourth time in six starts at Lone Star, getting a perfect pace-pressing trip under Don Pettinger after spending the winter training on the dirt track at Oaklawn Park.

Queena Corrina, who was timed in a moderate 1:31.08 for 7 1/2 furlongs on firm turf, paid $11.80 to win as the third betting choice. My Misty Princess finished third, a length behind Janeian.

Last of 10 was favored Paz Ciudadana, who, as usual, proved difficult to handle during the race, and wound up bouncing off the rail in the stretch run, the exclamation point on a lousy trip.

Lost Bride set a mild pace, going an opening half-mile in 48.26 seconds, and Queena Corrina got first run on the closers, who faced the impossible task of rallying into a slow pace.