Stronghold, Recharge score in Sunland Park Derby, Oaks

Feb 19, 2024 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Stronghold scored a new career high in the Sunland Park Derby (Photo by Coady Photography)

California shipper Stronghold justified 6-5 favoritism in Sunday’s $400,000 Sunland Park Derby, and Recharge remained unbeaten with a gutsy score in the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks. The respective races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks each offered points on the 20-10-6-4-2 format to the top five finishers.

Sunland Park Derby

The Phil D’Amato-trained Stronghold was the one to beat in the Sunland Park Derby, after a pair of graded stakes placings on his home circuit. Best of the rest behind Nysos in the Nov. 19 Bob Hope (G3) at Del Mar, the son of Hall of Famer Ghostzapper was just a half-length shy in the Dec. 16 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2). That latest effort was worth five points, and his Sunland heroics increased his total to 25 points.

Under regular rider Antonio Fresu, Stronghold forced the early pace set by Lucky Jeremy. Alotaluck moved up to join the fray on the backstretch, prompting Stronghold to advance between them and grab a brief lead. Lucky Jeremy counterpunched on the inside, and Stronghold relaxed again until re-engaging on the far turn and taking command.

Despite drifting wider out in upper stretch, Stronghold was always finding enough to maintain control. The favorite crossed the wire with 2 1/2 lengths to spare and completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.64 to earn his first stakes victory.

Alotaluck stayed on gamely to head Lucky Jeremy for second at the wire. They, like fourth-placer Curlin’s Kaos, were all earning their first points on the Derby trail. Back in fifth came Informed Patriot, who added two points for a total of eight. Longshots Da Ringo, No Trouble, and Surroundedbyangels rounded out the result.

A homebred for Eric Waller and Sharon Waller, Stronghold sports a mark of 5-2-3-0, $377,200. The bay was second at Ellis Park on debut to Awesome Road, another veteran of Derby scoring events.

Next time out at Churchill Downs, Stronghold broke through by defeating Resilience and Track Phantom. His one-mile maiden has turned out to be a key race. Track Phantom has amassed 55 points through the Fair Grounds series so far, including his runner-up finish in Saturday’s Risen Star (G2), in which Resilience was fourth.

Stronghold’s dam (mother), Spectator, was likewise a Waller homebred trained by D’Amato. The daughter of Jimmy Creed romped in the 2017 Sorrento (G2) and placed in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) and the 2018 Santa Anita Oaks (G1).

His pedigree raises a slight question about his ideal trip, and potential stamina limitations. The Sunland Derby was shortened this year to 1 1/16 miles, from its former distance of 1 1/8 miles, in conjunction with moving up one month earlier on the calendar. The next Derby prep will be more informative.

Sunland Park Oaks

Earlier, the Sunland Park Oaks witnessed a rousing battle between Gun Runner fillies Recharge and Candy Aisle. Winchell Thoroughbreds’ homebred Recharge refused to yield and fought off Candy Aisle by a desperate neck.

Trained by Steve Asmussen and piloted by Joel Rosario, who rode four straight stakes winners on the card, Recharge dictated a steady tempo on the front end. Candy Aisle, last through the opening half-mile, circled the field and accosted the pacesetter swinging for home.

The two bumped, with Candy Aisle appearing to lug in, but Recharge would not surrender in her stakes debut. Coming again bravely, she finished the mile in 1:37.27 and extended her record to a perfect 3-for-3.

The stewards posted the inquiry sign to take a look at the contact in the stretch. Their review was rapid, since the winner appeared blameless, and the result was declared official.

Recharge and Candy Aisle, the joint second choices at 2.30-1, pulled well clear of the rest. Simply Enchanting, the 9-10 favorite from the D’Amato barn, faded to third. Methods and Raspberry Wine concluded the order of finish, and all five fillies were opening their Oaks points accounts here.

Recharge has now bankrolled $189,498. A nine-length winner in her premiere sprinting at Remington Park, the chestnut passed her two-turn test in a Jan. 21 allowance at Sam Houston.

The Kentucky-bred is a half-sister to erstwhile Kentucky Oaks (G1) candidate Finite, who won the 2019 Golden Rod (G2) and 2020 Rachel Alexandra (G2). Recharge is a three-quarter sister to multiple stakes scorer Reride (by Gun Runner’s sire Candy Ride), third in the 2018 UAE Derby (G2). They were produced by the multiple stakes-winning Tapit mare Remit, herself a full sister to three stakes victors, chief among them millionaire Tapiture.

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