Sunland Park: Getaway Car edges Caldera; Runnin N Gunnin rolls

Feb 16, 2025 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Getaway Car and Caldera dueled to the wire in the Sunland Park Derby

Getaway Car (inside) and Caldera dueled to the wire in the Sunland Park Derby (Photo by Coady Media)

Sunday’s $400,000 Sunland Park Derby turned out to be a thriller, as 6-5 favorite Getaway Car just got the nod over Caldera in a photo finish. Trained by Bob Baffert and piloted by Juan Hernandez, Getaway Car added 20 points to increase his total to 36 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Earlier in the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks, the 5.90-1 Runnin N Gunnin sprang a mild upset as Baffert’s 1-10 favorite, Maysam, disappointed in sixth. Runnin N Gunnin rolled to a 4 3/4-length victory over Enchanting, her stablemate from the Steve Asmussen barn and a fellow daughter of Gun Runner.

Sunland Park Derby

Getaway Car brought premier form into Sunland Park. The winner of the Best Pal (G3) at Del Mar last summer, the son of Curlin subsequently finished second in both the American Pharoah (G1) and Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) as well as fourth in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

Blasting straight to the lead from the start on Sunday, Getaway Car rattled off fractions of :23.31, :46.93, and 1:10.99. Caldera, who had gotten away awkwardly after a slight hesitation at the break, was kicking into high gear at that point.

The battle was joined turning for home. The bigger Caldera appeared to have Getaway Car in his grasp and actually headed the longtime leader. But Getaway Car fought back gamely on the inside to reclaim the advantage. Caldera renewed his bid in the final strides, and the two flashed past the wire in unison.

The camera revealed that Getaway Car nipped Caldera by a nose. Negotiating 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.64, the dark bay improved his record to 7-3-2-0, $585,800.

Caldera (10 points) ran a mighty race to miss narrowly in his stakes debut for Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas. Considering his troubled start and fanning wide on both turns, the gray is eligible to move forward with an easier trip next time.

There was a gap of nine lengths back to Touchy, who broke slowly but managed to place third (six points). Take Charge Tom reported home fourth (four points), heading Itsmybirthday (two points). Next came Spenard, Remember Big Jim, and Smash It. McKinzie Street was scratched.

Getaway Car was bred by Blue Heaven Farm and Curlin Syndicate in Kentucky. A $700,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, he races for the consortium of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan.

Out of the stakes-winning Morning Line mare Surrender Now, Getaway Car traces to the blue hen *La Troienne. He descends from the family of 1993 Kentucky Derby (G1) victor Sea Hero.

Sunland Park Oaks

Maysam was all the rage after her dynamic debut victory at Santa Anita, but she acted up in the gate, missed the break, and never really recovered. Although Maysam briefly moved up into a better position down the backstretch, she wasn’t traveling as powerfully as Runnin N Gunnin.

Douglas Scharbauer’s Runnin N Gunnin was content to settle at the rear through an opening quarter in :24.19. She began to gain ground on the outside by the half in :47.78.

Meanwhile, a succession of fillies was taking turns on the lead. First Pink Pacific had her head in front, but she was overtaken by Street Colors, who then yielded to Stubby.

Runnin N Gunnin rounded the far turn full of momentum, accosted Stubby at the six-furlong mark in 1:12.82, and bounded away down the stretch. Ridden by Alfredo Juarez Jr., Runnin N Gunnin clocked the mile in 1:40.09 and banked 20 points toward the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Enchanting, who had been stalking early before easing back, rallied to complete the Asmussen/Gun Runner exacta. Four lengths clear in second, Enchanting earned 10 Oaks points.

Stubby held third (six points) in the strung-out field. Pink Pacific finished fourth (four points), trailed by Rogue Justice in fifth (two points), Maysam, and Street Colors.

Runnin N Gunnin, who returned $13.80 for her victorious stakes debut, has bankrolled $193,940 from her 6-3-0-0 line. The dark bay was unplaced in her attempts on the Kentucky circuit at Ellis Park and Churchill Downs, but she has prospered elsewhere. She broke her maiden at Horseshoe Indianapolis and romped in a Jan. 19 allowance at Sam Houston.

Bred by Dixiana Farms in Kentucky and purchased for $250,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, Runnin N Gunnin is a half-sister to multiple Grade 3 winner Alms. Another half-sister, multiple stakes scorer and Grade 3-placed Hallie Belle, produced Maycocks Bay, who just took third in Saturday’s Mineshaft (G3) at Fair Grounds.

Runnin N Gunnin, Alms, and Hallie Belle are all out of the Empire Maker mare Charity Belle, a French Group 3 winner from the family of Banker’s Gold, Personal Diary, and Ecton Park.

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