The $500,000 Sunland Park (G3) regatta returns to the race schedule on March 27 after a two-year absence. A field of eight, led by the California invaders Slow down Andy and Straight up WOOD The contest for the Kentucky Derby by Woodford Reserve (G1) has qualifying points, awarded on a 50-20-10-5 scale to the top four finishers.
The Sunland Park Derby was not held in 2020 at the end of the 2019-20 period Sunland Park racing season was scrapped with the arrival of COVID-19. Sunland did not open for races in the season after the pandemic continued, a move that disappointed riders in the area.
The Sunland Derby only produced one Kentucky Derby winner, Mining that bird , who scored the 50-1 winner in the 2009 Kentucky Derby after finishing fourth at Sunland. New Mexico-based Chip Woolley Jr coached him to victory in the Derby for Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine owners.
This year’s 2-1 morning favorite at the Sunland Park Derby, Slow Down Andy, is owned by Reddam Racing and coached by Doug O’Neill – a combination that has won the race together. two versions of the Kentucky Derby. They prepare those two winners, I will have another (2012) and Nyquist (2016), in California and Florida, respectively.
Slow Down Andy, a crossbreed for Reddam Racing by Nyquist out of Square Eddie mare Edwina E won against Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) on 11/12 Messier before disappointing with his seasonal bow sixth place in the Lamarque Ford-presented Easter Star Stake (G2) at Fair Grounds & Slots February 19. He added lightning players to Sunday’s race after his tireless effort at the Fair Grounds and a green winning attempt in Los Alamitos Futurity.
Videotapes: Los Alamitos Futurity (G2)
He was one of three Californians in the Sunland Park Derby, the rest were 20-1 spans Fowler Blue and the second option 5-2 Straight Up G.
The second is a two-time bet winner for Jim Rome’s Jungle Racing. Although based in Southern California with coach Richard Baltas, he raced on the Sunland strip, winning the February 27 Mine That Bird Derby, the final round of local prep for the Sunland Park Derby.
Ricky Gonzalez rides Straight Up G, while Mario Gutierrez rides on Slow Down Andy.
Hall of Fame coach Steve Asmussen puts two 3-year-olds on his second rope for the 1/8km race, Classic moment and Costa Terra .
Last year’s Eclipse winner, Joel Rosario, rode Classic Moment, finishing third in the Mine That Bird Derby, while Luis Negron was on the Costa Terra.
The $300,000 Sunland Park Oaks unranked at 1 1/16 miles, comes as Sunday’s ninth race, two stages ahead of the Sunland Park Derby, which serves as a middleweight qualifier on the Road to Kentucky Oaks.
Win the bet Option and Queen of Thorns one second is beaten well with Adare Manor in Las Virgenes Shares (G3) in Santa Anita . Park, are Sunland Park Oaks favorites. The race offers Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) points on the same scale as the Sunland Park Derby.
Item: Sunland Park Derby (G3)
Sunland ParkSunday, March 27, 2022, Race 11
- Level III
- 1 1/8 minutes
- Dust
- 500,000 dollars
- 3 yo
- 5:15pm (local)
Item: Sunland Oaks . Park
Sunland ParkSunday, March 27, 2022, Race 9
- STK
- 1 1/16m
- Dust
- 300,000 dollars
- 3 yo Fillies
- 4:12 pm (local)
