Page 164 - August 2017

Zia Futurity-RG1
BIGG DADDY
by Michael Cusortelli
An athletic gelding with a stout pedi- gree, Bigg Daddy was sent to post as the 9-5 favorite in the field and outran his status as the sixth-fastest qualifier to win the Zia Futurity-RG1 for New Mexico-breds at Ruidoso Downs on July 30.
Bigg Daddy didn’t disappoint his back- ers. Under jockey G.R. Carter Jr., he broke on top from the 6-hole, had 1/2-length at the first call and a full length at the top of the stretch. Bigg Daddy held off a charge by Jesse Lane and defeated that one by 3/4-length while making the 400-yard trip in :19.929, good for an 87 speed index.
Wes Giles prepped Bigg Daddy for owner Too For Two of Vado, New Mexico.
Bigg Daddy was bred by Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms. The gelding was coming off of a wire-to-wire 1-length victory over
a field that included multiple stakes win-
ner Daddys Blushing in the sixth of 10 Zia Futurity trials on July 15.
Bigg Daddy’s resume also includes a third- place run, 1-length behind Daddys Blushing, in the 350-yard $393,000 Mountain Top Futurity-RG3 at Ruidoso Downs on June 17, and he was a finalist in the 300-yard New Mexican Spring Futurity-RG2 at Sunland Park on April 8.
Campaigned exclu-
sively in New Mexico, Bigg Daddy, who was purchased for $25,000 from last year’s Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, has won three of six races. The $155,745 winner’s share of the $370,820 Zia Futurity purse pushed his bankroll to $209,018, of which $197,400 has been banked in his last three starts.
Bigg Daddy is one of nine
winners from 14 starters produced by Alice K White. The mare won the 2009 Golden State Derby-G1 and La Primera Del Ano Derby-G2 at Los Alamitos, and was that season’s Champion 3-Year-Old Filly. The homebred mare has foaled the earners of more than $800,000, including her top earner Astica, a multiple graded stakes winning half sister to Bigg Daddy and the sport’s Champion Three- Year-Old Filly two years ago.
Bigg Daddy is also a half-brother to Tuscan Redd, the third-place finisher in the 2014 Zia Futurity, and White Russsian, the runner-up in last year’s $81,549 Four Corners Futurity at SunRay Park. His second dam, the homebred Lanes Leinster mare Champagne Lane, won
the ’97 La Primera del Ano Derby-G2 in California and is the dam of 440-yard New World Record holder Kendall Jackson, a half-brother to Alice K White. Bigg Daddy traces back to his third dam, Dashin Sandy, a homebred daughter of Streakin Dash who won the 1992 Diamond Classic Futurity-RG2.
Trial winner and the third- fastest qualifier, Jesse Lane
(Jesse James Jr-Champagne Lane) finished sec- ond under Rodrigo Vallejo for owner MJ Farms and trainer Judd Kearl. Trial winner Hy Ho Harvey (Jesse James Jr-Maggies Miracle Lx) ran third. A $37,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs, the sorrel gelding was ridden by Ricky Ramirez
for owners Mark and Annette McCloy and trainer Trey Wood. Followed by Miles Of Flash (First Moonflash-Lalia), Jesse Klee (Jesse James Jr-Ms Klee), Riverside Flash (First Moonflash- Riverside Eye Opener), A Passion For Flashn (First Moonflash-Subtly Sixy), Tempting Star Gazer (First Moonflash-Most Tempting) & Jessa Diva (Jesse James Jr-Leading Diva). First N Forever was scratched.
Ruidoso Downs $370,820 • 400 yards :19.929 • si 87
Corona Cartel
Big Daddy Cartel
Miss Racy Eyes
BIGG DADDY, ’15-g.
First Down Dash
Alice K White
Champagne Lane
162 SPEEDHORSE, August 2017
Bigg Daddy (#6) and jockey G. R. Carter, Jr. win the $370,820 Zia Futurity-RG1.
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