Page 97 - 2020 Stallion Register

Sister Sophia, a sorrel daughter of Big Daddy Cartel campaigned by Calder and Candy Ezzell of Roswell, New Mexico, scored her first stakes victory in the September 22, $189,405 New Mexico State Fair Quarter Horse Derby (RG3) for state-bred sophomores at Albuquerque Downs.
Trained by Mike Joiner, Sister Sophia covered 400 yards in :19.668, and her win- ning margin was a neck from 3-5 favorite Cat Daddys Lil Girl. Raul Ramirez Jr. rode the filly, whom the Ezzells purchased for $32,000 at the 2017 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.
“She got a good break, and that’s what we were hoping for,” said Candy Ezzell, who has represented District 56, which includes Roswell, in the New Mexico House of Representatives since ’05. “When she pins those ears of hers back, she goes as fast as she can.”
Sister Sophia was coming off of a third-place finish in one of three New Mexico State Fair Derby trials on September 6. The filly was bred by Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms at Veguita, New Mexico. Her sire, the winning 10-year-old Corona Cartel stallion Big Daddy Cartel, was
a finalist in the 2011 All American (G1) and Rainbow (G1) futurities at Ruidoso Downs.
Big Daddy Cartel has sired the earners of more than $xx.xxx million, including mul- tiple graded stakes winners Bigg Daddy and
Mamacita Cartel, and graded stakes winners Daddys Blushing, Honky Tonk Daddy, and Cartels Star Daddy. The stallion is owned by and stands for a $5,000 fee at MJ Farms.
Sister Sophia is out of Ella Sophia, a homebred winning 9-year-old Jesse James Jr mare and a full sister to 2018 New Mexico Cup Derby (RG2) Jesse Lane, ’14 Mountain Top Futurity (RG3) winner Zuccardi, and stakes winner Jess One Looke. The filly’s second dam, the homebred Lanes Leinster mare Champagne Lane, won three graded stakes from 1996-97, including the 1997 La Primera del Ano Derby (G2) and Town Policy Handicap (G3), both at Los Alamitos.
Sister Sophia’s third dam, the homebred Streakin Dash mare Dashin Sandy, won the 1992 Diamond Classic Futurity (RG1) at the Central Wyoming Fair.
Sister Sophia has won four of nine races, including three of four this season, and the $94,703 winner’s share of the State Fair Derby purse increased her earnings to $145,662, of which $106,363 has been banked this season. The filly was a finalist in last year’s Zia Futurity (RG1) at Ruidoso Downs.
Freedom Flash finished third, a half of a length behind Sister Sophia. Vintage Vaquera, Delighful Moon Flash, J R Bordeaux, Jess Fire Chick, Winerette, and Jessa Whistlin Dixie
completed the order of finish. Qualifier First Cartel Moon was listed by the Equibase chart as a trainer scratch.
Runner-up Cat Daddys Lil Girl is a homebred daughter of Big Daddy Cartel and 2014 Zia Futurity (RG1) winner Girlonthego. Campaigned by Jimmy Negrete and Jimmy Vazquez, the gray filly has won four of 10 outs and has banked $150,537, and her season record includes a second-place finish in the July 28, $197,725 Zia Derby (RG2) at Ruidoso Downs.
A homebred bay son of champion First Moonflash, Freedom Flash races for Pierre
and Leslie Amestoy of Albuquerque and Roger Beasley. The gelding has won two of eight outs and has earned $60,270, of which $40,376 has been banked this year.
Story by Michael Cusortelli • Photos by Coady Photography
New Mexico State Fair QH Derby (R)
THE DOWNS AT ALBUQUERQUE
Big Daddy Cartel
Corona Cartel
Miss Racy Eyes
Ella Sophia
Jesse James Jr
Champagne Lane
SISTER SOPHIA
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