Bigg DaddY is one of a dozen New Mexico-bred Quarter Horses entered in Friday’s 400-yard, $85,000 Jess Burner Memorial Handicap (RG2), the opening-day feature at Sunland Park.

© Gay Harris / Ruidoso Downs

SUNLAND PARK, NM—DECEMBER 24, 2018—Bigg Daddy, a sorrel son of Big Daddy Cartel campaigned by the Too For Two partnership, is one of a dozen New Mexico-bred Quarter Horses entered in Friday’s 400-yard, $85,000 Jess Burner Memorial Handicap (RG2), the opening-day feature at Sunland Park.

Trained by Wes Giles, Bigg Daddy returns to New Mexico off of his third-place finish in a 440-yard Texas Classic Derby (G1) trial at Lone Star Park on October 19. The gelding has banked $88,000 from four outs this season, and his three wins include a head victory in the 400-yard, $191,000 Zia Derby (RG2) at Ruidoso Downs on July 29.

Bigg Daddy will be making his first start against older runners. The gelding drew post 8 and will be ridden by Adrian Ramos.

Other contenders include Jesse Lane, a homebred sophomore son of Jesse James Jr trained by Jimmy Padgett for owner MJ Farms of Veguita, New Mexico. An earner of $143,044 from five races this season, Jesse Lane will be shortening in distance off of his head victory as the 19-10 favorite in the 440-yard, $203,000 New Mexico Cup Derby (RG2) at Zia Park on November 4.

Jesse Lane drew post 9 and will be ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:

1. Percyjones (Tanner Thedford)
2. Daddys Blushing (Francisco Calderon)
3. Mr Klee (Alan Hernandez)
4. Magnifico Dragon (Manuel Gutierrez)
5. Siximoons (Raul Ramirez Jr.)
6. Jess Hot (Felipe Garcia-Luna)
7. Swiss White Wine (Jose A. Alvarez)
8. Bigg Daddy (Adrian Ramos)
9. Jesse Lane (Rodrigo Vallejo)
10. Comin To Your Town (Jaime P. Leos)
11. AE-Call Me Brad (Esgar Ramirez)
12. AE-Altitude Project (Francisco Calderon)

All Sunland Park races can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.