Holliday headlines the Shue Fly Trials.

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By Stallionesearch / Louanne Wainscott

SUNLAND PARK, NM–JANUARY 5, 2026—The Saturday card at Sunland Park will feature a ten-race program beginning at 12:25 PM, highlighted by five trial heats for the G2 $100,000-added Shue Fly Stakes and the G2 $80,000 Red or Green Stakes. A total of forty-four New Mexico-bred three-year-olds will compete in the Shue Fly Trials, all aiming to post one of the ten fastest times to earn a return trip for the Shue Fly Finale on January 31.

Races three through seven will be devoted to the Shue Fly Trials, with each heat contested at 400 yards. These races mark the first significant step in the derby campaign for many of the state’s top sophomores as they test themselves against deep and competitive fields.

One of the key contenders appears in race five, the third trial heat, where Holliday enters as the 5-2 morning-line favorite. The Big Daddy Cartel gelding enjoyed a strong juvenile season, winning three races and qualifying for three graded stakes. His résumé includes a third-place finish in the G2 New Mexico Spring Futurity, along with fourth-place efforts in both the G2 Mountain Top New Mexico Bred Futurity and the G2 New Mexico State Fair Quarter Horse Futurity.

Holliday has earned $133,421 for owners Alepony, LLC, who purchased him for $61,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. Bred in New Mexico by MJ Farms and out of Ms Jingles by Bigtime Favorite, he is trained by Jesus M. Soto and will start from post three with Jesse Lee Levario aboard.

The sixth race, fourth trial heat, features another major player in Pour Me a Drinkk, also listed at 5-2 on the morning line. The gelding has already proven himself at the graded level, having captured the G2 $314,000 New Mexico Classic Futurity during his two-year-old season. Now three, Pour Me a Drinkk owns three victories from six starts.

He is sired by Prospect to the Top and out of First Cowgirl Flash by First Moonflash. Bred in New Mexico, he races for owners Fred Danley and Bob McClure and is trained by Danley, with James Flores guiding him from post five.

With all forty-four New Mexico-bred sophomores making their first start of the year, the Shue Fly Trials promise competitive racing and fast times as the next generation begins its push toward derby success.

The ninth race of the afternoon features the G2 $80,000 Red or Green Stakes, set to go at approximately 4:00 PM. The race brings together ten four-year-olds and upward, all New Mexico-breds, at 400 yards.

Bigg Picture enters as the 3-1 morning-line favorite and brings a powerful résumé into the gate. The six-time multiple graded stakes winner is coming off back-to-back Grade 1 victories in the $200,000 Namehimastreaker New Mexico Classic Championship Stakes and the $100,000 Zia Park Championship Stakes.

The Big Daddy Cartel gelding has earned $440,609 for owner Uno Menos, who purchased him for $120,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. Out of Astica by Jesse James Jr. and bred in New Mexico by MJ Farms, Bigg Picture is trained by Wesley T. Giles and will break from post eight with Jesus Ayala aboard for the first time.

With a strong group of seasoned runners lining up in the Red or Green Stakes and a wide-open group of rising sophomores in the Shue Fly Trials, Saturday’s card at Sunland Park sets the stage for an exciting start to the New Mexico Quarter Horse stakes season.

The Sunland Park races can be watched on Q-Racing Video.

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