NEW MEXICO BREEDERS’ FUTURITY (RG3)

By Michael Cusortelli

Pavel

Pavel, a gelded son of second-year sire Czar Cartel MV owned and trained by Jorge Luis Sanchez Jr., broke sharply from post 10 and sped to a wire-to-wire victory in the May 18, $234,306 New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity (RG3) for state-bred 2-year-old Quarter Horses at SunRay Park.

Ridden by Luis Martinez, Pavel covered 350 yards in :17.220, and his winning margin was one length from Apollitical Python. The bay gelding earned a 99 speed index and the $110,124 winner’s share of the purse from his second graded stakes score.

Pavel was bred by MRB Racing LLC, and he was purchased as a yearling by Sanchez for $6,000 at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs. His sire, Czar Cartel MV, is an unplaced 8-year-old son of the Holland Ease stallion Corona Cartel and a full brother to three-time Grade 1 winner PYC Paint Your Wagon.

Czar Cartel MV has sired the earners of more than $318,000. The stallion is owned by and stands at MRB Racing at Anthony, New Mexico.

Pavel is out of Camelia, an 11-year-old daughter of 2009 AQHA champion 2-year-old colt Tempting Dash, and he is a half brother to 2021 Mountain Top Futurity (RG2) runner-up and Zia Futurity (RG1) finalist Azara. The gelding’s second dam, the winning Corona Cartel mare Royal Wicked Witch, produced Wicked Blue, a winning half sister to Camelia.

Pavel’s third dam, Wicked Winner, a Runaway Winner mare who won the 1998 Ruidoso Derby (G1) and ran third in the 1997 Ruidoso Futurity (G1). Wicked Winner foaled Wicked Royal Cartel, a stakes-winning half sister to Royal Wicked Witch and a finalist in the 2007 Ed Burke Million Futurity (G1) at Los Alamitos. The gelding’s fourth dam, the Dash For Cash mare Wicked Willa, won the 1991 World’s Championship Classic Stakes (G1) at Ruidoso Downs.

Pavel traces back to his fifth dam, Viking Anne, a multiple stakes winning daughter of the Viking Spirit (TB) stallion Vikingson (TB).

Pavel was the sixth-fastest qualifier from six trials run May 3. All told, the gelding has won four of five races — including the 300-yard, $355,000 New Mexican Spring Futurity (RG2) at Sunland Park as the fastest qualifier on April 6 — and he has banked $288,990.

Easily Bella CSJ finished third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Pavel. Don Chuy Jr, HS Danger Weapon, Bout Damn Time, King Of Kia, Kings Majic, fastest qualifier JLB Eye The Tiger, and Heart Breakn Blondie completed the order of finish.

Apollitical Python earned the $42,175 runner-up share of the purse for his owner, Manuel A. Guzman. A homebred son of the Apollitical Jess stallion Political Kash, the brown gelding has banked $42,455 from two outs.

A daughter of the One Famous Eagle stallion Bella Faccia, Easily Bella CSJ races for Christian Dominguez Olivas. The sorrel filly has won one of three starts, and the $25,774 third-place share of the New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity purse pushed her earnings to $31,014.