Baker's dozen considering Sunland Derby

Sunland Park officials anticipate drawing 3-year-olds from California, Florida, and the Midwest for the New Mexico track’s richest Thoroughbred offerings, the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby and the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks. The races will anchor a card of seven stakes on March 26.

There were 458 nominations, which were free, for the 1 1/8-mile Sunland Derby in February, and this week the track had a working list of 13 probables. Entries will be taken next Wednesday, said Dustin Dix, director of racing operations for Sunland. The maximum gate is 12.

Dix looks for trainer Bob Baffert to be represented in the Sunland Derby by Bronze Age, a recent maiden special weight winner at Santa Anita with a Beyer Speed Figure of 93. Others probable starters include Conquest Mo Money, who has won both local preps for the Sunland Derby; Irap, the runner-up in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity and Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita; Total Tap, a recent allowance winner at Fair Grounds; and Hedge Fund, who dominated a Gulfstream maiden special weight race in his two-turn debut for trainer Todd Pletcher.

The field also could draw Shareholder Value, who has been competing in stakes at Fair Grounds; Dilettante, Hence, and Oxford Lane, all maiden winners from Oaklawn Park; Kimbear, who last accounted for a maiden special weight race at Santa Anita; and Oh So Regal, Ol’ Drunk Daddy, and Wine N Divine.

Dix said a flight bringing horses from Florida is due into town next Tuesday, while a flight from California arrives next Wednesday.

Dix said the Sunland Derby will go as the ninth race on a 10-race program that starts at 1:30 p.m. Mountain.

The Sunland Derby is the final 85-point qualifying race for the Kentucky Derby, doling out points to its top four finishers on a scale of 50-20-10-5. The Sunland Oaks has the same points distribution for the Kentucky Oaks.

Dix looks for a field of eight or nine for the 1 1/16-mile Sunland Oaks. The projected starters include Noted and Quoted, the winner of last year’s Grade 1 Chandelier at Santa Anita for Baffert; Ghalia, a Gulfstream-based filly who is undefeated in two starts for Pletcher; Mopotism, the winner of the local prep for trainer Doug O’Neill; and Golden Mischief, a Louisiana stakes winner for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Other probables include Soft Cheese, Kell Paso, Torrent, and Mattie Ross.

Sunland’s traditional fund-raising gala the week of the local Derby will benefit Keep Memory Alive and the Alzheimer’s Association when it is held March 24. The celebrity guests are Scott Conant from the Food Network series “Chopped” and famed Frank Sinatra impressionist Bob Anderson of Las Vegas.