Marcus Medallion and Bigg Dee are among the dozen aged New Mexico-bred Quarter Horses entered in Saturday’s 400-yard, $100,000 Red or Green Stakes (RG2) at Sunland Park.
Marcus Medallion (pictured) will be shortening in distance off of his second-place finish, one length behind winner Apollitical Papa, in the 440-yard, $100,000 Zia Park Championship (G1) on December 5. The 9-year-old gelding is owned and trained by Jaime Aldavaz Sr.
Marcus Medallion drew post 8 and will be ridden by Adrian Ramos.
Bigg Dee is a 4-year-old son of Big Daddy Cartel trained by James Gonzales III for owner Rex Wells, who purchased the gelding for $30,000 at the 2019 New Mexico-Bred Sale. Bigg Dee is coming off of a sophomore campaign during which he earned $254,055 from eight races and scored victories in the July 31, $203,000 Zia Derby (RG2) at Ruidoso Downs, and the September 19, $238,000 New Mexico State Fair Derby (R) at Albuquerque Downs.
Bigg Dee drew post 8 and will be ridden by Mario Delgado.
The Red or Green Stakes replaces the Jess Burner Stakes on the Sunland Park stakes calendar. The Jess Burner was moved to Ruidoso Downs during that track’s 2021 meet.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Bigg Dee (Mario Delgado), 4-1
Fly On Down (Sergio Dominguez), 12-1
Perrys Regard (Manuel Gutierrez), 12-1
Colby James (Ricky Ramirez), 6-1
Your Easy Jess (Esgar Ramirez), 12-1
Cartel Drunk Playboy (Jacob Enriquez), 15-1
No Mires A La Luna (Lucas Constantin), 5-1
Marcus Medallion (Adrian Ramos), 5-2
Hatchi Zulu (Jose Amador Alvarez), 15-1
Spiritonthemountain (Jimmy Ray Coates), 15-1
AE-First Apollo Moon (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 15-1
AE-HS Paul Walker (Jacob Enriquez), 15-1