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Mountain Top Quarter Horse Futurity (RG2)
by Michael Cusortelli • Photos by Jake Rogerss
Big Daddy Cartel
Corona Cartel
Miss Racy Eyes
Total Miracle
Dean Miracle
Reckless Coin
MR INNOVATOR
Cody Cobb’s Mr Innovator, a gray son of Big Daddy Cartel and the fastest qualifier, earned
his first stakes victory in the June 20, $279,872 Mountain Top Futurity (RG2) for New Mexico- bred 2-year-old Quarter Horses at Ruidoso Downs.
Ridden by Mario Delgado and sent to post as the 9-10 favorite in the nine-horse field, Mr Innovator covered 350 yards in :17.436 while defeating 13-1 longshot Azara by 1-length and posting a 98 speed index. James J. Gonzales II prepped the gelding, who banked the $117,546 winner’s share of the purse.
Mr Innovator broke sharply and led at every call.
“When he broke like he did, I knew that we were going to roll.” said Delgado. “He has been so impressive from the start, even when we were breaking him.
“He’s a special horse that continues to improve every trip,” the rider added.
Mr Innovator was bred by Mikkelson Racing LLC. His sire, Big Daddy Cartel, is a 12-year-old son of the Holland Ease stallion Corona Cartel. Racing at Ruidoso Downs in 2011, Big Daddy Cartel earned $121,800 from five starts and was a finalist in that season’s Grade 1 All American and Rainbow futurities.
Big Daddy Cartel has sired the earners of more than $10.2 million from six crops, including mul- tiple graded stakes winner and 2017 All American
Futurity (G1) runner-up Bigg Daddy and multiple graded stakes winners Cat Daddys Lil Girl and Mamacita Cartel. The stallion is owned by and stands for a $5,500 fee at Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms at Veguita, New Mexico.
Mr Innovator is out of Total Miracle, a win- ning homebred daughter of Champion Dean Miracle, who ran third in the 2005 La Mariposa Handicap (G3) at Albuquerque Downs and
New Mexico Quarter Horse Handicap (RG3) at SunRay Park. The gelding began his career with
a convincing 1 1/2-length victory in a 300-yard, $21,000 maiden-special-weight dash at Remington Park in Oklahoma City on April 24. He then set the fastest qualifying time with his 1 1/4-length win in the Mountain Top Futurity trials on June 4.
Cobb purchased Mr Innovator privately from Mikkelson Racing last fall. He and Gonzales were childhood friends in Midland, Texas.
“We’ll discuss our options going forward, but right now he’s headed to the Zia Futurity trials,” said Cobb, discussing Mr Innovator’s immediate future. “Then, we might take a look at the All American Futurity trials if the horse continues to show his abilities.”
Mr Innovator returned a $3.80 win mutuel and teamed with Azara for a $30.20 ($2) exacta dividend. All told, the gelding has won all three of his outs and has banked $131,440.
Renika finished third behind Azara, and was followed by Jess Ring The Bell, Daddys Dream Girl, Borderan, Lil Rev, Run Time, and Tosma. Chicksbabycartel was scratched.
Azara earned $50,377 to bring her bankroll
to $53,977 for owner MRB Racing LLC. The daughter of the Mr Jess Perry stallion A Royal Jess has won one of two starts.
Renika is a bay daughter of Big Daddy Cartel campaigned by Triple R Racing Stables LLC.
A $15,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale, the filly has won two of four races and has earned $54,038, and her record includes a second-place finish in the 350-yard, $113,060 New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity (RG3) at SunRay Park on May 23.
RUIDOSO DOWNS
FALL 2021 59