A History of New Mexico’s Sunland Park Derby

By Emily Shields

After the use of slot machines was approved for New Mexico in 1999, Sunland Park went from an unknown commodity to a gem for local horsemen. In pursuit of a race that would be taken seriously by horsemen around the country, the track partnered with WinStar Farm in 2003 to debut the $500,000 WinStar Derby, which was won by California shipper Excessivepleasure.

16 years later, the $800,000 Sunland Park Derby (G3) is a graded, Kentucky Derby points race (worth 85 total, 50 to the winner). Trainers around the country do indeed point to the 1 1/8 mile contest, with Bob Baffert winning it three times and both Steve Asmussen and Doug O’Neill twice. This year’s race – to be run March 24 – has entrants from Baffert, Asmussen, and Todd Pletcher.

Excessivepleasure did not make it into the Kenutcky Derby field, nor did Hi Teck Man (2004), who won at odds of 46-1 and only raced once more in his career. California-bred Thor’s Echo (2005) ultimately ended up in sprints, winning the TVG Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) in 2006 and earning $2.4 million in his career.

Baffert’s first winner was Wanna Runner in 2006; that Ontario-bred bypassed Louisville for the Queen’s Plate but finished 10^ththere after winning the Lone Star Derby (G3). Liberty Bull (2008) went from winning the Sunland race to finishing last in the Arkansas Derby, eliminating his Kentucky Derby hopes.

Enter 2009, which was the year Sunland was hoping to achieve graded status. Favored Kelly Leak actually won the race, but fourth place finisher Mine That Bird went on to win the Roses, shocking the Derby at 50-1. That led to the Sunland Derby being graded for the first time in 2010, when WinStar Farm’s Endorsement won by three lengths in impressive fashion. That runner was injured just days before the Kentucky Derby.

Twice the Appeal (2011) finished 10^thin the Kentucky Derby, as did Daddy Nose Best (2012). Well-bred winner Govenor Charlie (2013) bypassed Kentucky for the Preakness Stakes (G1), where he was eighth. He was Baffert’s second winner, the third came a year later when Chitu won in 2014. Despite being 25-1 at Churchill, Chitu finished ninth, beating ten runners.

Firing Line (2015) was one of the best Sunland winners. The son of Line of David had been tussling with the oversized Dortmund in California when he shipped to New Mexico to get away from that rival. He won the Sunland Derby by 14 ¼ lengths, then gave American Pharoah all he could handle in Kentucky. American Pharoah only won by a length, and went on to take the Triple Crown.

There was no 2016 running due to a virus outbreak, but Hence (2017) won and went to Kentucky to finish 11^thbehind Always Dreaming. Last year’s winner, Runaway Ghost, was injured while training for Kentucky, but has since come back to win two of Sunland’s top races for older horses.

The 16^thSunland Park Derby (G3) takes place on Sunday.