A field of 10 three-year-old colts and geldings will head to the post for the $800,000 Sunland Park Derby (G3) on Sunday at Sunland Park in New Mexico.
The race produced Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird in 2009, and boasts its usual interesting cast of local runners facing out of state shippers.
#1 Mucho Gusto (8-5) was originally headed for the Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn before the Santa Anita closure affected all of Bob Baffert’s sophomore plans. Mucho Gusto is coming off a victory in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) on February 2, a 1 1/16 mile contest which he won by 4 ¾ lengths. The two-time stakes winner is three for four lifetime and grade 1 placed in his lone loss. The son of Mucho Macho Man cost $625,000 as a two-year-old. Joe Talamo will be in to ride.
#2 Anothertwistafate (3-1), by the late Scat Daddy, is a Northern California shipper for trainer Blaine Wright. The colt has won three races in a row since being stretched around two turns, including the El Camino Real Derby on February 16. That race got him an automatic berth to the Preakness Stakes, but Anothertwistafate is hunting Kentucky Derby points in this spot.
#3 Hustle Up (5-1) hails from the same outfit that produced 2018 Sunland Derby winner Runaway Ghost, trainer Todd Fincher’s barn. This local horse is making his 11th start here, and is coming off a strong, front-running victory in the Mine That Bird Derby a month ago.
With the top three entrants all speed types, #4 Wicked Indeed (6-1) could benefit. The son of Tapit is in for Steve Asmussen, and has been training nearby at Sam Houston after finishing second in the Mine That Bird Derby behind Hustle Up. His lone win was sprinting at the Fair Grounds on Novemebr 30.
#5 Cutting Humor (8-1) is Todd Pletcher’s entrant in here. The son of First Samurai is coming off a seventh-place effort in the Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn, which was his long off the board finish. John Velazquez stays aboard.
#6 Walker Stalker (15-1) was third in the Mine That Bird Derby after breaking his maiden on February 9. He has never been worse than third in three starts.
#7 Pasamonte Man (20-1) is another local, and a maiden to boot. The gelded son of Strong Mandate cost $75,000 as a yearling.
#8 Collusionist (25-1) started out in Colorado, where he broke his maiden and won a stakes race before shipping southwest to run in Arizona and New Mexico. He has not been in the money since August of last year.
#9 Diamond Blitz (15-1) is a California shipper for Keith Desormeaux; brother Kent will ride. The son of Munnings has never gone this far and has run half of his races on turf, but had a career-best Beyer Speed Figure last out when going a mile on the dirt behind Derby candidates Roadster and Nolo Contesto.
#10 Eye Cloud (30-1) rounds out the field. The son of Point of Entry is out of a Storm Cat mare. He is two for eight lifetime but zero for three this year.
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