Study Guide: 2025 Sunland Park Derby
Feb 11, 2025
Getaway Car winning the Best Pal (G3) at Del Mar (Photo by Benoit Photo)
Nine horses will vie for 20-10-6-4-2 Road to the Kentucky Derby qualification in Sunday’s $400,000 Sunland Park Derby at Sunland Park.
The 1 1/16-mile race is famous for producing 2009 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mine That Bird, who upset the Run for the Roses at 50-1 odds.
Let’s take a horse-by-horse look at the field for the 2025 Sunland Park Derby:
Itsmybirthday
Itsmybirthday wins at Turf Paradise. (Photo by Coady Media)
Start(s): 2
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: Arnold Bennewith, Clayton Wiest, and Rick Wiest
Breeder: Spendthrift Farm
Trainer: Robertino Diodoro
Jockey: Harry Hernandez
Top Speed Rating: (87) when winning a Turf Paradise allowance.
Total Earnings: $25,580
Sire: Vekoma
Dam: After the Rose
Color: Gray/roan
Itsmybirthday is unbeaten and unchallenged in two starts at Turf Paradise, most notably winning an allowance by 4 1/4 lengths. But he’s yet to run farther than six furlongs, so stepping up in class and distance could be challenging.
Remember Big Jim
Take Charge Tom wins the Riley Allison Derby at Sunland Park with Remembering Big Jim close behind in second. (Photo by Coady Media)
Start(s): 4
Wins: 0
Place: 2
Show: 0
Owner: Stephen Jamison
Breeder: WinStar Farm
Trainer: Dick Cappellucci
Jockey: Elvin Gonzalez
Top Speed Rating: (86) when finishing second in the Riley Allison Derby at Sunland Park.
Total Earnings: $31,470
Sire: Medaglia d’Oro
Dam: Mayla
Color: Bay
Remember Big Jim closed from far behind to finish second in the Riley Allison Derby, beaten only one length. The Sunland Park Derby is a tougher spot, but a top-three finish isn’t out of the question for this improving colt.
Smash It
Smash it wins the Zia Park Juvenile Stakes at Zia Park. (Photo by Coady Media)
Start(s): 8
Wins: 2
Place: 4
Show: 1
Owner: Scott Bryant, Clay Cash, G. Chris Coleman, Brad King, and Stan Kirby
Breeder: Brad King, Scott Bryant, Clay Cash, Chris Coleman, and Stan Kirby
Trainer: Todd Fincher
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Top Speed Rating: (99) when winning a Del Mar maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $176,300
Sire: Star Guitar
Dam: Hennesey Smash
Color: Chestnut
Smash It has plenty of early speed and won the six-furlong Zia Park Juvenile S. by three lengths. But he’s 0-for-2 running long and most recently tired to finish third in the one-mile Riley Allison Derby, so tackling 1 1/16 miles in the Sunland Park Derby may exceed the limits of Smash It’s stamina.
Getaway Car
Getaway Car winning the Best Pal (G3) at Del Mar (Photo by Benoit Photo)
Start(s): 6
Wins: 2
Place: 2
Show: 0
Owner: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan
Breeder: Blue Heaven Farm and Curlin Syndicate
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Juan Hernandez
Top Speed Rating: (101) when finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar.
Total Earnings: $353,000
Sire: Curlin
Dam: Surrender Now
Color: Bay
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has won the Sunland Park Derby three times, and he has a strong chance to win another with Getaway Car. The speedy son of Curlin has finished second in the American Pharoah (G1), fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), and second in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) racing 1 1/16 miles on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The Sunland Park Derby is an easier spot, and Getaway Car is hands-down the horse to beat.
Citizen Bull earns 10 points on the Road to the #KyDerby with his win in the American Pharoah Stakes at @santaanitapark! 🌹 pic.twitter.com/qGzDEelc9O
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) October 6, 2024
Spenard
Vodka N Gingerale wins at Churchill Downs with Spenard coming in a close second. (Photo by Coady Media)
Start(s): 3
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 1
Owner: Joe Schumer
Breeder: Marylou Whitney Stables
Trainer: Tena Birdwell
Jockey: Luis Valenzuela
Top Speed Rating: (81) when winning a Turf Paradise maiden optional claimer.
Total Earnings: $25,990
Sire: Spun to Run
Dam: Tweeterdini
Color: Bay
Spenard was much the best in a six-furlong $30,000 maiden optional claimer at Turf Paradise last month, winning by 7 1/2 lengths. But the 81 Brisnet Speed rating he received looks a little light against the Sunland Park Derby field.
Take Charge Tom
Take Charge Tom wins the Riley Allison Derby at Sunland Park with Remembering Big Jim close behind in second. (Photo by Coady Media)
Start(s): 3
Wins: 3
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: Randy Howg
Breeder: Randy Howg
Trainer: Robertino Diodoro
Jockey: Orlando Mojica
Top Speed Rating: (87) when winning the Riley Allison Derby at Sunland Park.
Total Earnings: $96,200
Sire: Tom’s d’Etat
Dam: Gorgeous Ginny
Color: Dark bay/brown
Take Charge Tom survived a speed duel to win the Riley Allison Derby by one length over deep-closing Remember Big Jim. That brought Take Charge Tom’s record to a perfect 3-for-3. He’s a logical candidate to crack the top three in the Sunland Park Derby, though dueling with Getaway Car could potentially leave Take Charge Tom vulnerable to late runners in the final furlong.
McKinzie Street
McKinzie Street wins at Del Mar (Photo by Benoit Photography)
Start(s): 5
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 2
Owner: Pierre Jean Jr. & Leslie A. Amestoy and Roger K. Beasley
Breeder: Clearsky Farms
Trainer: Justin Evans
Jockey: Ramon Vazquez
Top Speed Rating: (97) when finishing second in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) at Del Mar.
Total Earnings: $157,000
Sire: McKinzie
Dam: Karpathos
Color: Dark bay/brown
McKinzie Street started his career on a high note, winning his debut before recording top-three finishes in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and American Pharoah (G1). But his form has slipped as of late and he exits a last-place finish in the San Vicente (G2), so he’ll need a rebound to challenge in the Sunland Park Derby. On the bright side, sharp recent workouts suggest a turnaround is within reach.
Touchy
Touchy wins at Keeneland. (Photo by Coady Media)
Start(s): 4
Wins: 1
Place: 2
Show: 0
Owner: Three Chimneys Farm
Breeder: Three Chimneys Farm
Trainer: Wesley Ward
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Top Speed Rating: (93) when winning a Keeneland maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $123,550
Sire: Nyquist
Dam: Touch the Moon
Color: Bay
Runner-up in the Tremont S. and Turfway Prevue S., Touchy has shown talent sprinting against quality competition. Yet his pedigree suggests stretching out over 1 1/16 miles won’t be an issue. There’s a chance Touchy will improve meaningfully while racing beyond 6 1/2 furlongs for the first time, so don’t count this son of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist out of the mix.
Caldera
Caldera wins at Oaklawn Park. (Photo by Coady Media)
Start(s): 3
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 0
Owner: MyRacehorse
Breeder: Don Alberto Corporation
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Jockey: Rafael Bejarano
Top Speed Rating: (84) when winning an Oaklawn Park maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $89,256
Sire: Liam’s Map
Dam: Send Me On My Way
Color: Gray/roan
Caldera has improved with every start so far. He was especially sharp in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Oaklawn Park last time out, leading all the way to win by 5 1/2 lengths. But Caldera benefited from setting a slow pace that day, and he’s likely to face a faster tempo in the Sunland Park Derby, complicating his path to the winner’s circle.
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