Page 121 - NM Summer 2023

SUNLAND PARK
New Mexican Spring Fling Stakes (R)
BIGG SHADES OF GRAY
Bigg Shades Of Gray, a son Eye Am King, broke his maiden in the April 1, 300-yard New Mexican Spring Fling Stakes (R) for state-bred 2-year-old Quarter Horses at Sunland Park.
Campaigned by Marcelino Gonzalez and Super Champion Inc. and racing against a reported 10-mph head wind, Bigg Shades Of Gray defeated Marisma by a neck in :15.557. Emilio Tapia rode the brown gelding for trainer Eric Valenzuela.
Bigg Shades Of Gray was sent to post as the 7-2 favorite in the field of nine. The gelding was bred by Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms at Veguita, New Mexico, and he was purchased as
a yearling by Marcelino Gonzalez for $58,000 at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs.
Bigg Shades Of Gray’s sire, Eye Am King, is an 8-year-old son of 1994 AQHA champion 2-year-old Mr Jess Perry and 2007 Golden State Million Futurity (G1) winner Eye For Corona. From two crops, the stallion has sired the earners of more than $1.3 million, including 2022 New Mexico Cup Juvenile Stakes (R) winner Kings Touch, 2022 New Mexico State Fair Futurity (RG2) runner-up White Lightenin and 2023 Shue Fly (RG2) and
Sunburst (RG3) stakes runner-up Wood Dee Queen.
Eye Am King is a full brother to stakes winner Dr Jess and a half to stakes winner Ultimate Wave. The stallion is owned by and stands for a $3,000 fee at MJ Farms.
Bigg Shades Of Gray is out of Bigg Alice, a winning daughter of the Corona Cartel stallion Big Daddy Cartel. The gelding’s second dam, the First Down Dash mare Alice K White, won the 2009 Golden State (G1) and La Primera del Ano (G2) derbies at Los Alamitos and was that season’s champion 3-year-old filly.
A homebred 2006 foal, Alice K White produced Bigg Daddy, a multiple graded stakes winning full brother to Bigg Alice and runner-up in the 2017 All American Futurity (G1), and Astica, a multiple graded stakes winning half-sister to Bigg Alice and the sport’s champion sophomore filly in 2015.
Bigg Shades Of Gray made his debut with a second-place run in one of nine New Mexican Spring Futurity (RG2) trials on March 10. The $23,750 winner’s share of the purse from his first win in two outs pushed his earnings to $25,530.
Boardeaux ran third, three-quarters of a length behind Bigg Shades Of Gray. Jets
First Prize FMF, Eye Wanna Pizza You, Hide My Wine, KJ Hardtookiss Two, JLB Fireball and Margaret River completed the official order of finish.
Marisma banked the $9,250 runner-up share of the purse for her owners, Sebastian Gonzales and Nove Racing LLC. An $18,000 buy at last year’s Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, the Eye Am King filly has earned $11,030 from two races.
Boardeaux pocketed the $5,750 third- place share of the purse for his owner, Adelita Lopez, who purchased the Eye Am King gelding as a yearling for $13,000
at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale. Boardeaux has banked $6,195 from two starts.
Photos by Coady Photography
SUMMER 2023 119
Eye Am King
Mr Jess Perry
Eye For Corona
Bigg Alice
Big Daddy Cartel
Alice K White
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