American Xperiment stretches out in Mine That Bird Derby

It’s been a good start to the year for owners Kirk and Judy Robison, and they will attempt to keep their stable’s momentum going Sunday with American Xperiment in the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland Park.

The race, which will be run over 1 1/16 miles, is the final local prep for the Grade 3, $500,000 Sunland Derby on March 27. It is being showcased on a nine-race card that includes three other stakes, including a prep for the $300,000 Sunland Park Oaks.

The Robisons achieved arguably their greatest success in racing earlier this month, when Jackie’s Warrior picked up the Eclipse Award for champion male sprinter of 2021.

“We’ve been in racing and breeding or buying yearlings for 25 years and we’ve had a few graded stakes winners, but nothing like this horse,” Kirk Robison said. “This is a very nice horse.”

And one that’s been a near lifetime in the making.

“My dad took me to Santa Anita when I was 11 or 12,” Robison said, “because we only lived about 45 minutes away from the track and my dad liked to go to the races. He’d give me $2 or $4 to bet on horses from the grandstand and that got me hooked on it. I was a middle-aged man before I got any horses, and to have a horse like this after all these years, I’m very grateful.”

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The Robisons on Sunday will turn their attention to their home track, where American Xperiement will make his two-turn debut in the eight-horse Mine That Bird Derby. His rivals include Straight Up G, who was beaten a neck last out in the California Cup Derby at Santa Anita, and New Mexico stakes winners Bye Bye Bobby and Pepper Spray.

“That race came up pretty tough, it usually does,” Robison said.

The Steve Asmussen-trained American Xperiment was second by three-quarters of a length in an allowance sprint at Oaklawn in his 3-year-old season debut Jan. 15. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 85, the best career number in the Mine that Bird Derby.

“He’s by Nyquist,” Robison said. “We liked him a lot. Steve bought the horse. He won in the mud first out at Saratoga with an 80 Beyer. Because it was in the mud, we were not sure we knew what we had yet. Steve shipped him to Del Mar, and he ran a pretty darn good third in the Del Mar Futurity. We thought that was pretty good, so we’re giving him a shot.”

Robison likes the move to two turns Sunday.

“I think with his pedigree, it shouldn’t be a problem,” he said.

Alfredo Juarez Jr., the leading rider at Sunland, has the mount from post 7.

Pepper Spray, who is unbeaten in three starts, was a neck winner over Bye Bye Bobby in the $100,000 Riley Allison Derby on Jan. 30 at Sunland. Both figure to be major players again Sunday.

“Bye Bye Bobby had a horrible trip,” trainer Todd Fincher said. “He was cut off, shuffled back on the turn, and still came back and ran hard.

“He should come back well, I believe. I expect this horse to hopefully blossom.”

Roimes Chirinos has the mount from post 2 for B4 Farms.

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◗ The first stakes on the card is the $100,000 Albert and Henry Dominguez Memorial Handicap for older New Mexico-breds at 1 1/16 miles. The Robisons will be represented by homebred Cheese Tray. He was the runner-up in last year’s New Mexico Cup Derby and comes off Feb. 8 allowance win at Sunland.

◗ The $75,000 Island Fashion matches 3-year-old fillies at a mile in a stepping-stone to the Sunland Oaks. Miss Hard Knocks is going for her third straight win following a maiden race Jan. 17 at Turf Paradise and the $65,000 Borderplex on Jan. 30 at Sunland. The late-running daughter of Mr Speaker is making her two-turn debut, and trainer Bart Hone wins at an above average rate with his sprint-to-route prospects, according to Daily Racing Form statistics.

Tyler’s Dream was second by a neck in the Borderplex and now moves back to two turns, a configuration she won over on Jan. 7 at Sam Houston.

Manorelli was an 11-length maiden special weight sprint winner Jan. 23 at Santa Anita, while Landslid last raced at Aqueduct and was fourth in the $100,000 Ruthless on Feb. 6.

◗ Wheels Brayden is looking for his third stakes win in the $100,000 Red Hedeman Mile for 3-year-olds bred in New Mexico.