Da Edge Of Gray (#8) and jockey Joseph Belloc Jr. surge late to win the $70,000 Jimmy Drake Stakes (RG3) at SunRay Park on May 1.

© Coady Media

By Emily Paulk, StallioneSearch

SUNLAND PARK, NM–MAY 1, 2026– Da Edge Of Gray surged late under jockey Joseph Belloc Jr. to win the $70,000 Jimmy Drake Stakes (RG3) Friday afternoon at SunRay Park, covering 350 yards in :17.228 while earning a 98 speed index.

Owned by Rex Wells and trained by James Gonzales III, the 5-year-old gray gelding was bred in New Mexico by MJ Farms. Breaking sharply, Da Edge Of Gray battled throughout before finishing with a strong driving effort to get up by a head at the wire.

The winning connections of Da Edge Of Gray accept the $70,000 Jimmy Drake Stakes trophy at SunRay Park on Friday. © Coady Media

A $59,000 graduate of the Ruidoso New Mexico Bred Yearling Sale, Da Edge Of Gray is sired by leading sire Big Daddy Cartel and out of the Separatist mare and stakes winner Da Edge ($117,076). He is a half-brother to stakes winner Close To Crazy ($100,585), while his second dam is champion Deelish ($603,673), a full sister to the dam of Fearless Freda ($262,121).

The victory marked his seventh career win from 19 starts, improving his record to 19-7-0-2 with earnings of $172,902 after collecting the $42,000 winner’s share of the purse. He adds this score to a resume that includes a win in last year’s Jess Burner Memorial Stakes (G3), further solidifying his status as a proven stakes competitor.

The Calling, ridden by Flavio Lozano, finished a game second after rallying late for owner Javier Chavez and trainer Jose DeHerrera.

Also a graduate of the Ruidoso New Mexico Bred Yearling Sale ($17,000), the gelding is another son of Big Daddy Cartel, out of the First Down Dash mare Fine Wines. He is a half-brother to stakes winners Time For Wine ($206,953) and Onemoreglassofwine ($118,065), and comes from the female family of champions Alice K White ($276,837) and Astica ($411,623).

With the runner-up effort, he moves to a career mark of 31-7-3-5 with earnings of $293,894, still seeking his first stakes victory.

Heavy favorite Alamos, under jockey Christian Ramos, finished third for Tungsten Racing Partnership and trainer Tony Sedillo. The $185,000 Ruidoso New Mexico Bred Yearling Sale graduate is sired by Eye Am King and out of the Woodbridge mare Anakena.

Entering the race off back-to-back stakes wins in the Lovington Stakes (G2) and Pepsi Cola Stakes (G2), he now sports a record of 17-7-0-1 with earnings of $175,401.

Jesses Wish finished fourth, followed by Pavel, Pick Your Pour, Bad King, Big Daddy Farr, Myy Flashn Denali and JM Famous Wynn to complete the order of finish.

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