Dozen entered for Sunland Derby

Mar 23, 2018 Jennifer Caldwell/Brisnet.com

A field of 12 sophomores will go nine furlongs in Sunday’s $800,000 Sunland Derby (G2) at Sunland Park in an effort to earn enough points to make the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 5 at Churchill Downs.

The Sunland Derby is worth 50-20-10-5 points for the 144th edition of the Run for the Roses. Lining up are a few who have placed in other Road to the Kentucky Derby series points races, including All Out Blitz and Dark Vader.

All Out Blitz boasts just one win, a nose maiden score for trainer Simon Callaghan, but has since finished second in the Sham Stakes (G3) and third in the San Vicente Stakes (G2). The Sham awarded the Concord Point colt four points for the Kentucky Derby, and he’ll try to pad that in the Sunland Derby with jockey Martin Garcia aboard.

Dark Vader also broke his maiden by a nose to close out his juvenile campaign for trainer Peter Eurton. He opened his sophomore season with a third-place run in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) last out on February 3, good for four points. Stewart Elliott has the call on Sunday.

Hollywood Star currently boasts five points, most of which came from a runner-up effort in last year’s Road to the Kentucky Derby kick-off, the Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. The Dale Romans-trained son of Malibu Moon finished sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) in his two-year-old finale and returned to action February 10 with a fourth-placing in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs. Robby Albarado was aboard for the Iroquois and takes back the mount here.

Peace didn’t earn any points for his fifth-place run in the Robert B. Lewis to begin 2018, but the Richard Mandella trainee did pick up five points for his fourth-place effort in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) last out on March 10. Drayden Van Dyke keeps the mount off that run.

Seven Trumpets attempted to lead all the way home in the rescheduled Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct in January, but was caught on the wire and forced to settle for second. That placing was still worth four points to the Romans charge, but he failed to add to that total when a dead-heat seventh most recently in the Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park. Luis Contreras will be in the saddle for the first time on Sunday.

Runaway Ghost romped by 7 3/4 lengths in the Riley Allison Stakes going a mile at Sunland on January 28 and enters this one off a nice second in the Mine That Bird Derby on February 25. Those two races were the Ghostzapper colt’s first for trainer Todd Fincher, who took over after the bay made his initial four starts for conditioner Mike Machowsky, and came under returning jockey Tracy Hebert.

New York Central makes his stakes bow in the Sunland Derby off a neck victory in an Oaklawn Park allowance/optional claimer going 1 1/16 miles on February 19. The Steve Asmussen pupil broke his maiden last November at Churchill Downs by 7 1/4 lengths and retains the services of jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. for his black-type debut.

Stablemate Dream Baby Dream was third by a neck in his only stakes race to date, the Spendthrift Juvenile Stallion Stakes at Churchill Downs last year. The Into Mischief colt then broke his maiden under the Twin Spires in his juvenile finale and has earned a trio of third-place finishes at Oaklawn Park this year. Alfredo Juarez Jr. holds the reins for the first time here.

Prince Lucky was 3-0-1 from four career starts for trainer Larry Jones before suffering his first unplaced finish when seventh last out in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds. He’ll go in the Sunland Derby for new trainer Todd Pletcher and also gets a rider change to John Velazquez to help his chances.

Choo Choo tries dirt for the second time in his seven-race career here. The Jerry Hollendorfer trainee captured the California Derby two back as the even-money favorite, but could only manage fifth in the El Camino Real Derby last out. Mario Gutierrez has the call.

Fortified Effort goes in here for the Eikleberry family, co-owner William, trainer Kevin and jockey Ry. The Ez Effort gelding brought a three-race win streak from Turf Paradise into the Riley Allison but could only manage a well-beaten third in that contest. He returned to Turf Paradise most recently for a runner-up effort in the Turf Paradise Derby.

Trainer Doug O’Neill sends Shane Zain to make his stakes debut here following a fifth-placing against allowance/optional claiming rivals at Oaklawn in mid-February under returning jockey Terry Thompson.