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- Sire PPs UPDATED
Sunland Derby 2018: Give Peace a Chance
Not much separates the 4-1 favorite, All Out Blitz, from the other 11 horses entered to run in Sunday’s G3 Sunland Derby at 1 1/8 miles on dirt at Sunland Park in New Mexico.
Fortified Effort will open as the longest shot on the board at 20-1, which on paper looks like an underlay.
And sandwiched in between is a mediocre group of 10 others who will travel the 1 1/8 miles distance over the dusty oval at Sunland Park in New Mexico in search of the bulk of the $800,000 purse. But more importantly a share of the 85 Kentucky Derby points that will be divvied out to the top four finishers.
The race will be run at 1 1/8 miles on dirt for a purse of $800,000 and the all important 85 Kentucky Derby points at Sunland Park in New Mexico. And handicappers will be aided by the results of Saturday’s G2 $1 million Louisiana Derby won by Noble Indy at Fair Grounds.
Sunland Derby 2018 Odds, Analysis & Free Past Performances
1.) All Out Blitz – 4-1. No. 35 on the Derby leaderboard with a measly 4 points for finishing second behind McKinzie, which also happens to make him the lukewarm favorite in here. He’ll be sent from the start with a bullet move a week ago in his arsenal. Like that Garcia is back up and this track favors speed on a dry track which he’ll get.
2.) Dark Vader – 15-1. No. 43 on the board with only 2 points for his 3rd place finish in the RB Lewis last time out. Ohio bred son of Tale of Ekati might run better than expected over this surface as he has positional speed to stalk.
3.) New York Central – 9-2. No points yet for this Asmussen runner looking to steal this race and the top prize of 50 points which would propel him into the TOP 10. Steps up into graded company in 5th lifetime start. Improving son of leading NA sire Tapit will be pressing the pace from the start.
4.) Hollywood Star – 6-1. Twenty-ninth with 5 points. Beaten by the early, early Derby favorite The Tabulator three back to earn 4 points in the Iroquois at CD before splitting the field in the BC Juvenile. Was 5th LTO in the Sam Davis to earn an extra point and needs help to get into the big race on May 5. Added distance will help his cause.
5.) Peace – 12-1. Finished 4th LTO in the Lewis to earn 5 points and the 32nd spot on the board. Was fifth in the Lewis two back. Should love the added ground and exits the controversial San Felipe when the TOP 2 Kentucky Derby contenders, McKinzie and Bolt d’Oro, swapped the official order of finish in a DQ. This guy was rolling at them late and just missed third. In the immortal words of John Lennon, Give Peace A Chance.
6.) Shane Zain – 15-1. Added blinkers to break maiden two back going 1 mile at OP. Returned to run 5th behind New York Central in last start and will benefit off that effort for O’Neill. Son of Medaglia d’Oro looking to take a place in the Derby starting gate and will need to take the top spot to take home the 50 points. That may not be possible but an on the board finish in here could be.
7.) Prince Lucky – 6-1. Pletcher takes over from Larry Jones and sends this guy out with go-to-rider Johnny V. after a dismal finish LTO in the Lecomte at Fair Grounds. To be fair he had the 11 hole that day and was making his first two turn start. And one can only speculate as to why this guy is in here at 6 to 1. And the fact that the TOP 3 from the Lecomte returned in defeat next time out in the Risen Star won by Bravazo, leads us to reason that he’ll be a shock if he wins this one. Interesting nonetheless.
8.) Seven Trumpets – 6-1. The other Romans runner gets a new rider as Albarado elects to ride stablemate Hollywood Star. Earned 4 points in the Jerome to put him on the board at No. 36. Finished in a dead-heat for 7th place LTO in the Southwest won by My Boy Jack who returns in the Louisiana Derby this weekend. Like that he’s in here with top Sunland jockey Luis Contreras who will have this guy pressing the pace from the start to give stablemate a shot.
9.) Choo Choo – 8-1. English Channel sired homebred will race without blinkers for the first time for Calumet and Hollendorfer. Sires offspring not typically found on dirt but they have shown up to run on occasion. Exits the El Camino Real Derby from which Blended Citizen returned to win the Jeff Ruby ‘Steaks’ at Turfway Park last weekend. Don’t discount his chances in here as he returns as the only horse in the field to have run at this distance. CHANCE.
10.) Dream Baby Dream – 10-1. Another for Asmussen and will wear blinkers for the first time with top Sunland jockey Alfredo Juarez, Jr. Blinkers should get him into the race sooner and the added distance is a plus. Was 3 lengths back of stablemate New York Central in last and can use that one’s speed to his advantage in a race that’s up for grabs.
11.) Runaway Ghost – 8-1. Son of Ghostzapper has 3 wins under his belt and has made his last two starts here at Sunland showing speed to burn. Led the way through 3/4’s in the 1 1/16 miles Los Alamitos Futurity vs. McKinzie and Solomini before tiring to finish last in a five horse field. Tired in his last start after setting the pace in the Mine That Bird and will be challenged aplenty in here. However, should be noted that once the blinkers were removed his speed figures improved dramatically and will be the pacesetter in here.
12.) Fortified Effort – 20-1. Owns the most wins of any horse in the field (4) and some of the lowest speed figures, as well. Chased Runaway Ghost around the track two back at 1 mile before turning in his best performance LTO in the Turf Paradise Derby when finishing 2nd behind Primo Touch who returned to win his next out in the Tempe Handicap on turf. Would be a shocker!
