Page 72 - New Mexico Summer 2022

SUNLAND PARK
NMHBA Stakes (RG2)
Photos by Coady Photography
Big Daddy Cartel
Corona Cartel
Miss Racy Eyes
Wish You Had One To
Stel Corona
Devons Wish
WISH BIGG
Wish Bigg, a Big Daddy Cartel gelding racing for Sebastian Gonzales, pulled
away in the stretch to win the March 12, 400-yard New Mexico Horse Breeders’ Association Stakes (RG2) for New Mexico- bred 3-year-olds at Sunland Park.
Saddled by James Gonzales III and ridden by Mario Delgado, Wish Bigg defeated JC New Dawn by 1 1/4 lengths while stopping the timer in :19.589. The bay gelding earned a 96 speed index while pocketing the $60,000 winner’s share of the $100,000 purse.
Wish Bigg was bred by MJ Farms
at Veguita, New Mexico, and he was purchased as a yearling by Reliance Ranches LLC for $13,500 at the 2020 New Mexico- Bred Sale. His sire, Big Daddy Cartel, is a winning 13-year-old son of Corona Cartel who earned $121,800 from five races -- all at Ruidoso Downs in 2011 -- and qualified to the Grade 1 All American and Rainbow futurities.
From seven crops, Big Daddy Cartel
has sired the earners of more than $13.2 million, including multiple graded stakes winners Bigg Daddy, Mamacita Cartel,
and Bigg Dee. The stallion is owned by
and stands for a $5,500 fee at MJ Farms. Wish Bigg is out of Wish You Had One
To, a 13-year-old winning and multiple stakes placed daughter of the Corona Cartel
stallion Stel Corona. The gelding is a half- brother to a pair of graded stakes placed runners: Jess Tequila Talkin, a Jesse James Jr gelding who ran third in the 2020 Shue Fly Stakes (RG2) at Sunland Park, and Burn One Down For Me, a son of Woodbridge who finished third in last year’s Jimmy Drake Stakes (RG3) at SunRay Park.
Wish Bigg’s second dam, the winning Devon Lane (TB) mare Devons Wish, produced Girlonthego, a half-sister to Wish You Had One To who won the 2014 Zia Futurity (RG1) at Ruidoso Downs and is the dam of multiple graded stakes winners Cat Daddys Lil Girl and Ryansmanonthemoon. He traces back to his third dam, Kiptys Wish, a winning and multiple stakes placed daughter of Kiptys Charger and dam of Grade 3 winner Kiptys First Dash.
Wish Bigg was stretching out in
distance off of a one-length victory in the $26,000 maiden-special-weight dash for New Mexico-bred 3-year-olds on Feb. 26. Campaigned exclusively in New Mexico,
the gelding has won two of six starts and has earned $96,476. His season race record includes a fourth-place finish in the Jan. 29, $262,000 Shue Fly Stakes (RG2) at Sunland Park.
Jesses Dinero ran third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Wish Bigg, and was followed by Classy Moon, Wente, River Flash, Holland
Rock, Illegal Review, Liarliarlegsonfire and Cowboy Zulu.
A chestnut son of the Dash Ta Fame stallion Woodbridge, JC New Dawn races for Telma Meraz and Federico Gonzalez, and he was coming off of a third-place finish in the Shue Fly Stakes. The gelding has won two of seven races, and the $20,000 runner-up share of the purse increased his earnings to $91,138.
Jesses Dinero was making his second start against stakes company, as the gelded son of 2009 AQHA Champion Aged Stallion First Moonflash was a finalist
in last year’s $301,000 New Mexico Cup Futurity (RG2) at Zia Park. Jesses Dinero has won two of nine races, and the $10,000 third-place share of the NMHBA Stakes purse pushed his bankroll to $59,277.
Wish Bigg’s winning connections include owner Sebastian Gonzales, trainer James Gonzales III, and jockey Mario Delgado.
70 New Mexico Horse Breeder