'One Corona' recovers from shaky start

Fastest qualifier Poly Gyve One Corona brings a 2-for-2 record into the Grade 1, $325,900 Kindergarten on Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

Poly Gyve One Corona hit the inside rail during a morning workout in March, but has matured for trainer Elena Andrade since that incident. He came back to post two strong qualifying works and then won his first start by 2 1/2 lengths in 15.60 seconds for 300 yards.

Poly Gyve One Corona then took another step forward in his Kindergarten trial when he raced to the fastest qualifying time of 15.305 seconds, winning the seventh of 11 trials on May 6 from the inside post position.

"He was very professional," Andrade said. "He's come a long way from that first work."

The next three fastest qualifiers nearly matched Poly Gyve One Corona's time.

Vachetta won her maiden by 2 1/2 lengths in her career debut when she was timed in 15.50 seconds for 300 yards. She then lowered that time when she won her Kindergarten trial in 15.315, .01 of a second off Poly Gyve One Corona's time.

"Good babies tend to improve about one-fifth of a second from their first and second starts, and that's what she did," trainer Jaime Gomez said.

Third-fastest qualifier Gone First was just off the qualifying times of Poly Gyve One Corona and Vachetta with a 15.325-second time. A daughter of First Down Dash and champion Indigo Illusion, Gone First finished fourth in her career debut and then dominated her trial when she won by 1 3/4 lengths.

Coyote Code is now 2 for 2 after he won his trial by three- quarters of a length in 15.340. He won his first start by 2 1/4 lengths after bobbling at the start.

First Comment dominant at Delta

First Comment is the solid choice in the Grade 2, $83,610 East Challenge at Delta Downs on Sunday night after a 3 1/4-length trial victory.

First Comment, who competed in seven derbies last year, made his 2006 debut in the East Challenge trials and won in 21.674 seconds for 440 yards. The second-fastest qualifier, Speedy Perry, was timed in 22.002, about two lengths slower than First Comment.

First Comment's busy derby campaign included a win in the Grade 1 Texas Classic Derby on Nov. 25. He followed that effort with a third in the Grade 1 Championship at Sunland Park.

Sunday's card also includes the Grade 3, $53,460 East Juvenile Challenge and the Grade 3, $56,520 East Derby Challenge.

The East Juvenile Challenge is led by fastest qualifier Shimmering Crystal, winner of 2 of 3 starts with a seventh-place finish in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Futurity. She won her trial in 17.804 seconds for 350 yards.

The East Derby Challenge pits the lightly raced Sheza Dashing Disco and All American Futurity fourth-place finisher Make a Secret. Sheza Dashing Disco has started only five times, but has won her last three races. Her trial win in 19.836 seconds for 400 yards was the fastest qualifying time. Make a Secret, fifth in his trial as the odds-on favorite, won last year's Grade 2 Firecracker Futurity at Delta Downs.