Aj Fast Corona, piloted by Luis Valenzuela, wins the $35,904 Canterbury Park Distaff Challenge Stakes [G3] on Thursday.

© Coady Media

SHAKOPEE, MN–JULY 25, 2024–Aj Fast Corona showed just how fast she is when she took off at the final call for her second consecutive win this season in the $35,904 Canterbury Park Distaff Challenge Stakes [G3].

It took Aj Fast Corona just a bit to get into her stride in the 400-yard stakes, but at the final call, she bolted into first for a 1/2-length victory over stablemate Beep Beep Rev Rev.

Aj Fast Corona's rider, Luis Valenzuela, said, "I just waited a little. I know her signs and knew she would run the distance, so I let her do her thing and stayed out of her way."

Against a six mph crosswind, Aj Fast Corona clocked a 90 speed index in :20.122 seconds. The victory paid $6.40 to win on 2/1 odds.

Beep Beep Rev Rev, ridden by Armando Alvidrez, broke out of the gates very quickly and kept the lead until the final stretch, just missing at the wire for second. Five Bar Fantasy followed 3/4-length behind, with Kelsi Harr in the irons for third.

The winning connections of Aj Fast Corona accept the $35,904 Canterbury Park Distaff Challenge Stakes [G3] trophy at Canterbury Park on Wednesday. © Coady Media

Heavy favorite Fox News, piloted by Ramiro Garcia, stumbled at the gates and couldn't catch up, placing fourth. Corona A Saint was in fifth with Rey Hernandez at the reins.

The Grade 3 Distaff was Aj Fast Corona's fifth career victory and second stakes win, including the Will Rogers Derby Challenge Stakes last year. Tonight's $18,670 winner's share of the purse boosted her bankroll to $119,016. The four-year-old daughter of Apollitical Jess was also a finalist in the Rainbow Oaks [G1], Decketta Stakes [G2], AQHA Derby Challenge Championship Stakes [G3], and Remington Park Oaks.

Breeder Rancho El Cabresto, Inc. sold Aj Fast Corona for $90,000 to her owners, Tom Maher and Kim Paulsen, in the 2021 Heritage Place Yearling Sale. The Oklahoma-bred filly is out of the Corona Cartel mare Fast Prize Corona, a full sister to leading sire Heza Fast Dash and half-sister to the dam of Coronado Cartel.

This is the sixth time hall of fame trainer Jason Olmstead, who conditioned Aj Fast Corona, has prevailed in the Grade 3 Distaff Challenge Stakes and the third consecutive time for Tom Maher at Canterbury Park.

Also trained by Olmstead, runner-up Beep Beep Rev Rev has lit the board 14 of 18 starts with nine wins and $187,977 in earnings. Summer Run, Inc. bred and owns the four-year-old daughter of A Revenant in Minnesota. The four-time stakes winner is out of Etta Betta Zoom by Shazoom.

Jerry Livingston saddled third-place finisher Five Bar Fantasy for owner Tailored For Gold Stables. The four-time winning daughter of Five Bar Cartel has earned $76,915 in her career. The five-year-old mare out of Ja Fantasy by Mr Jess Perry is a $16,500 Heritage Place Yearling Sale graduate. S Bar S bred Five Bar Fantasy in Oklahoma.