New Mexico Breeders' Futurity

Pavel, a gelded son of the Corona Cartel stallion Czar Cartel MV owned and trained by Jorge Luis Sanchez Jr., won Saturday's 350-yard, $234,306 New Mexico Breeders' Futurity (RG3) for state-bred 2-year-olds at SunRay Park.

Ridden by Luis Martinez, Pavel defeated Apollitical Python by one length in :17.220. The bay gelding earned a 99 speed index and $110,124 from his second career graded stakes victory.

Pavel was bred by MRB Racing LLC, and he was a $6,000 yearling purchase at last year's New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs. The sixth-fastest qualifier, he was coming off of a half-length win in one of six trials on May 3. Pavel is out of Camelia, an 11-year-old daughter of champion Tempting Dash.

Pavel traces back to his third dam, Wicked Winner, a Runaway Winner mare who won the 1998 Ruidoso Derby (G1). The gelding has won four of five starts, including the 300-yard, $355,000 New Mexican Spring Futurity (RG2) at Sunland Park on April 6, and he has earned $288,990.

Fastest qualifier JLB Eye The Tiger broke awkwardly and finished ninth in the field of 10 New Mexico-bred 2-year-olds.

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