Rene Salgado’s JLB Eye The Tiger drew post 2 for Saturday’s 350-yard, $120,000-added New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity (RG3) for state-bred 2-year-old Quarter Horses at SunRay Park.
The fastest qualifier, JLB Eye The Tiger made his debut with a wire-to-wire, half-length victory in the first of six trials on May 3. The gelded son of Eye Am King was a $7,500 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs.
JLB Eye The Tiger will be ridden by Christian Cardenas for trainer James J. Gonzales III.
Other contenders include Pavel (pictured), a graded stakes winning son of Czar Cartel MV owned and trained by Jorge Luis Sanchez Jr. A $6,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale, the bay gelding has earned $178,866 from four starts, and his three wins include a head victory in the April 6, $355,000 New Mexican Spring Futurity (RG2) at Sunland Park.
Pavel drew post 10 and will be ridden by Luis Martinez.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Don Chuy Jr (Emilio Tapia), 9-2
JLB Eye The Tiger (Christian Cardenas), 4-1
Heart Breakin Blondie (Jacob Enriquez), 12-1
Kings Majic (Manuel Gutierrez), 15-1
HS Danger Weapon (Alfredo Sigala), 8-1
Easily Bella CSJ (Alonso Rivera), 6-1
Apollitical Python (Federico Martinez), 15-1
King Of Kia (Christian Ramos), 12-1
Bout Damn Time (Noe Garcia Jr.), 6-1
Pavel (Luis Martinez), 10-1
AE-Its Jess Me (Alfredo Sigala), 15-1
AE-JM Ima Sonador (Luis Martinez), 20-1