Local hero Runaway Ghost chases off invaders in Sunland Derby

Mar 26, 2018 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Shippers came in droves from California, Florida, and Arkansas in hopes of plundering Sunday’s $800,000 Sunland Derby (G3), but it was the lone locally based runner, Runaway Ghost, who scored one for the home team – and netted a Kentucky Derby (G1) spot with 50 points.

“I’d go as fast as I could,” owner/breeder Joe Peacock Sr. said afterward about whether he would advance to the Run for the Roses.

Runaway Ghost, a late nominee to the Triple Crown, is a third-generation homebred. The colt’s dam, Rose’s Desert, was a seven-time stakes winner in the New Mexico-bred ranks, five of them at Sunland. Runaway Ghost is now two-for-three in Sunland stakes, with a romp in the January 28 Riley Allison S. and a runner-up effort to Reride in the February 25 Mine That Bird Derby. Reride skipped the Sunland Derby in favor of chasing the $2 million purse in next Saturday’s UAE Derby (G2), and no other invader could take down the local hero.

Trainer Todd Fincher, who also conditioned Rose’s Desert, was actually pleased that Runaway Ghost drew post 11 in the 12-horse field. Believing a wide draw could help the son of Ghostzapper to relax better early, and therefore handle the step up in distance to 1 1/8 miles, he was proven correct. So was the late money, the bets placed shortly before post time, that dispatched Runaway Ghost as the 7-2 favorite.

A contentious pace unfolded as California invader All Out Blitz dashed forward on the rail, hounded by Oaklawn-based New York Central through fractions of :45.80 and 1:10.27 on the fast track. Instead of being in the thick of the early battle as usual, Runaway Ghost was settled several lengths back. But he rapidly gained ground for jockey Tracy Hebert, circled the leaders on the far turn, and opened up by four lengths in midstretch. The only challenger in the picture was Dream Baby Dream, a 16-1 outsider who rallied from near the back of the pack. Runaway Ghost could not be caught, though. Still 2 3/4 lengths clear at the wire, the winner clocked 1:49.20.

Dream Baby Dream, best of the rest by six lengths, earned 20 points toward the Kentucky Derby. Peace got up for third by a neck, garnering 10 points (to up his total to 15), and fourth-placer Seven Trumpets took home 5 points (and now has 9 points overall). Early leaders All Out Blitz and New York Central retreated to eighth and 10th, respectively, of 12.

Runaway Ghost has now bankrolled $563,510 from a record of four wins, and two seconds, from seven starts. Initially based in California with Mike Machowsky, he broke his maiden second time out at Santa Anita and dominated the Golden Nugget S. at Golden Gate Fields. Runaway Ghost tried the big leagues in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) – chief among them McKinzie – and gave way badly in last after burning out on the front end. Can his newfound relaxation help him cope better at Churchill Downs? His fans will hope so. 

Photo courtesy Coady Photography