Press Release from Gayle Van Leer
CLEMENTS, Calif. (Feb. 27, 2024) — Mr. Big, a stallion George Krikorian developed into one of California’s top sires of stakes horses, was euthanized Feb. 27 due to complications from laminitis. Sire of 12 black-type winners, including California-bred champions Big Fish and Ceiling Crusher, Mr. Big was 21.
“I’m heartbroken—Mr. Big was a very special horse,” Krikorian said.
Mr. Big had stood the past two seasons at Pete and Evelyn Parrella’s Legacy Ranch in Clements, California, and had just begun the 2024 covering season.
“Myself, Evelyn and the entire staff at Legacy Ranch are devastated by this sudden turn of events,” Parrella said. “Mr. Big has become a major influence in the breeding industry in California. His loss is not just our loss but a big loss for the entire state. We are honored that Mr. Krikorian had the confidence in Legacy Ranch to have Mr. Big stand here. He’s going to be sorely missed.”
Krikorian has believed in Mr. Big since purchasing him as a weanling from Viking Stud for $220,000 at the 2003 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. By champion Dynaformer, Mr. Big was out of the stakes-winning Fappiano mare Fashion Delight, thus representing bloodlines disappearing from current pedigrees.
From a racing career limited to nine starts due to injury, Mr. Big won twice at Hollywood Park. He was originally trained by John Shirreffs and later by Bob Baffert after Shirreffs relocated to New York. Under Baffert’s tutelage, Mr. Big captured a 1 1/16-mile allowance event with Mike Smith aboard, crushing his competition by 8 3/4 lengths.
Krikorian retired Mr. Big to his Kentucky farm in early 2010 and bred him to a few of his mares. His faith in his favorite horse was rewarded when Mr. Big’s first foal, Big Break, won for Krikorian first time out by 7 3/4 lengths at Santa Anita. Big Break went on to earn $236,699 in 42 starts over four seasons.
Ceiling Crusher is Mr. Big’s leading earner to date, at $938,400. In 2023, the filly won the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes at Parx, beating eventual Eclipse Award winner Pretty Mischievous. Earlier in the season, Ceiling Crusher captured the Torrey Pines Stakes, Melair Stakes, and Evening Jewel Stakes in her native California. Sold for $750,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale, Ceiling Crusher just recently was voted the 2023 champion Cal-bred 3-year-old female by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association.
Mr. Big got his first graded winner when Kentucky-bred Big Score won the 2017 Transylvania Stakes (G3) at Keeneland, beating a field that included 2016 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) winner Oscar Performance. Big Score earned $702,792, won the 2016 Zuma Beach Stakes, and placed in seven other stakes, including the 2017 Hollywood Derby (G1).
With that early success, Krikorian moved the stallion to California.
“I brought Mr. Big out to California because I thought he’d have a better chance as a stallion,” Krikorian said. “And that’s what happened.”
Krikorian-bred Big Fish won the 2020 Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes and was named co-champion Cal-bred 2-year-old male of 2020. Other stakes winners soon followed, including $392,420-earner Big Switch, $367,958-earner Big Sweep, $367,958-earner Big Summer, and $345,770-earner Chancery Way.
Mr. Big has been noted for his ability to move up his mares, and has sired 97 winners from 152 starters, with his 12 black-type winners representing 5% of his foals of racing age. He has an incredible lifetime average earnings per starter of $75,216. The stallion’s runners continue to perform well, with Big City Lights winning the Feb. 10 Palos Verdes Stakes (G3) and Big Pond capturing the Feb. 18 Spring Fever Stakes, both at Santa Anita.
“We have a lot of horses coming up by Mr. Big that have shown good potential,” Krikorian said. “Mr. Big was the special gift that kept on giving.”