A dozen state-bred sophomores are entered in Friday’s opening-day feature at SunRay Park, the 400-yard, $70,000 New Mexico Breeders’ Stakes (RG3).
Miss Baby Cartel, the 9-2 morning-line favorite, is a gray daughter of Big Daddy Cartel trained by Eric Valenzuela for owners Felix Rodriguez and Sergio Holguin. The filly has earned $74,595 and is a maiden from eight races, but she is coming off of a second-place finish, a neck behind winner Over Da Edge, in the 350-yard, $100,000 Sunburst Stakes (RG3) for New Mexico-bred 3-year-old fillies at Sunland Park on March 3.
Miss Baby Cartel drew post 7 and will be ridden by Jose Luis Enriquez.
Bigg Shades Of Gray will be making her 3-year-old season debut in the New Mexico Breeders’ Stakes. A son of Eye Am King trained by Marco Flores for owners Marcellino Gonzalez and Super Champion Inc., the gelding was the fifth-fastest qualifier to last year’s 350-yard, $341,000 Mountain Top Futurity (RG2) at Ruidoso Downs. He’s earned $37,955 from four outs, and his two wins include a 2 1/4-length victory in his Mountain Top trial.
Bigg Shades Of Gray drew post 4 and will be ridden by Luis A. Flores-Garcia.
The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
Jess Paid (Emilio Tapia), 5-1
JM Johnny B Good (Alfredo Sigala), 15-1
Who U Daddy (Alan Hernandez), 10-1
Bigg Shades Of Gray (Luis A. Flores-Garcia), 15-1
Jetting Thru Clouds (Brian C. Barraza), 6-1
Young Emperor (Sergio Becerra Jr.), 8-1
Miss Baby Cartel (Jose Luis Enriquez), 9-2
Lil Newt (Noe Garcia Jr.), 8-1
Grafity (Esgar Ramirez), 12-1
Jess Have One More (Luis Martinez), 5-1
AE-Dos Mia Chicks (Christian Cardenas), 12-1
AE-LP King (Jorge Nieto-Saenz), 12-1