Champion JLS Mr Bigtime Joins AQHA Racing's Millionaire Club

NEW ORLEANS, LA—DECEMBER 13, 2014—AQHA Racing Champion JLS Mr Bigtime topped the $1 million earnings mark Saturday afternoon at Fair Grounds Race Course when he finished second in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Quarter Horse Classic for Louisiana-breds.

Darrell Soileau trains the 6-year-old homebred son of multiple stakes sire Bigtime Favorite for owner/breeders JLS Speed Horse Ranch, Inc.

JLS Mr Bigtime entered his 29th career race on Saturday needing just $53 to reach the million dollar mark. The Louisiana Champions Day Quarter Horse Classic second place check of $17,525 easily pushed him over the top for a total earnings mark of $1,017,472.

"This is great,' trainer Soileau said following the race. "We are so proud of this hard-knocking horse. He only won three stakes and won a million dollars. He's got a great heart. Now he will get a break—he has been so much fun."

JLS Mr Bigtime broke his maiden in his first career start in 2010, a trial for the Mardi Gras Futurity at Louisiana Downs but failed to qualify. After getting an allowance victory at Delta Downs in May of that year, the gelding then won his trial the RG1 Lee Berwick Futurity and finished a close second in the July 10 final.

Following that race his connections shipped to Ruidoso Downs where he rewarded his owners with the fastest qualifying time to the $1.9 million All American Futurity. On Labor Day he was out-nodded at the wire by Mr Piloto, after getting bumped at the break, and had to settle for the $285,000 second place check.

JLS Mr Bigtime returned to his home state of Louisiana and on November 17th he posted the top qualifying mark to the $526,593 LQHBA Breeders' Futurity at Evangeline Downs. He then capped off the year with a track record winning performance in the final. JLS Mr Bigtime finished the year with a (9) 6-2-0 record and earnings of $599,962.

Over the next three years the gelding posted five win in 15 starts and added another $386,085 to his bankroll. He kicked off 2014 with a third place effort in the Streakin La Jolla Stakes at Louisiana Downs and won an allowance Evangeline Downs in October.

JLS Mr Bigtime's overall record stands at (29) 12-5-3 with earnings of $1,017,472. He was named the 2010 AQHA Racing Champion 2-Year-Old Gelding, an AQHA Racing Superior Race Horse in 2011 and set three track records.

Stakes Record

• 1st LQHBA Breeders' Futurity(RG1)
• 1st Delta Downs Louisiana Bred Derby(RG2)
• 1st Louisiana Classic (RG2)
• 2nd All American Futurity(G1)
• 2nd Lee Berwick Memorial Futurity(RG1)
• 2nd Remington Park Invitational Championship(G1)
• 2nd Louisiana Champions Day QH Classic (RG2)
• 2nd Vals Fortune Stakes (RG3)
• 3rd All American Derby(G1)
• 3rd Streakin La Jolla Stakes

JLS Mr Bigtime also competed in the Rainbow Derby(G1) and Refrigerator Handicap(G1).

Out of the Osceola Warrior mare Psalmist, JLS Mr Bigtime is the second Louisiana-bred Quarter Horse to earn over $1 million dollars. Vals Fortune, a 2001 son of Dashing Val, won 20 of 23 starts and earned $1,111,591. He retired from racing in 2005.