Corrina Corrina looks to make history on opening card at Sunland Park

Corrina Corrina can open the Sunland Park meet on Friday by making some New Mexico-bred history when she starts in the $90,000 New Mexico State Racing Commission Stakes.

A win in the race would make her the all-time leading Thoroughbred earner among New Mexico-breds. She enters the 5 1/2-furlong stakes just $39,565 shy of Rocky Gulch’s record earnings mark of $1,151,725. A first-place finish would be worth $54,000.

Sunland is racing 55 dates through April 6. Post time is 12:25 p.m. Mountain.

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The season is again topped by the $400,000 Sunland Park Derby on Feb. 16. The 1 1/16-mile race will offer Kentucky Derby points to its first five finishers on a scale of 20-10-6-4-2. The race will be showcased on a card of six stakes that includes the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks, which offers the same points value for the Kentucky Oaks.

“Our schedule is very similar to last year,” said Dustin Dix, director of racing operations for Sunland. “It’s the same days of the week – Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday – two days of Thoroughbreds, two days of Quarter Horses.

“There’s not a lot of changes from last year. The only Thoroughbred days on the weekend would be Sunland Derby Day and closing day.”

Sunland made major changes last season, by moving the Sunland Derby from late March to the middle of February. Dix said the focus this season is making sure the change stay top of mind.

“We want to build on last year,” he said of the meet’s premier card, which drew an ontrack crowd of 15,446. “I think it works perfect, the way it’s the first Sunday after the NFL. I think that resonates with people. I think that’s a good time for people to come out to the track. I think it fits well on the schedule.

“It’s the 20th running of it, as well, so that’s kind of neat.”

Dix said another focus will be reminding patrons that the Sunland Derby is now only halfway into the season and that there is a good deal of meet remaining after the track runs its signature event.

Dix said overnight purses this meet will be similar to last season, averaging $170,000 a card. He said the stakes schedule – for both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses – is worth more than $3.2 million.

The opener is a nine-race card, with the New Mexico State Racing Commission Stakes coming in the eighth race. Corrina Corrina also won the race last year. She enters off a runner-up finish in a Zia Park allowance and the Beyer Speed Figure of 84 that she earned is the best last-race number in the eight-horse field she faces Friday.

Tracy Hebert has the mount from post 4 for Derrick Jenkins and trainer Gary Cross.

The seventh race is the $65,000 KLAQ over five furlongs and Dean’s List could go favored. He is co-owned by Judge Lanier Racing and trainer Dick Cappellucci, who won the respective owner and trainer titles last season at Sunland.

Alfredo Juarez Jr., who won last season’s riding title, has the mount on another top KLAQ entrant in Competitive Spirit.

The local prep for the Sunland Derby – which lost its Grade 3 status for 2025 – is the $100,000 Riley Allison Derby at one mile Jan. 17. It shares a card with the $65,000 Borderplex, which is a prep for the Sunland Park Oaks.

Other highlights of the stakes schedule include the $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park for Quarter Horses on Feb. 2 and the April 6 card featuring the $200,000 Sunland Park Handicap, the $125,000 Mine That Bird Derby, and the $90,000 New Mexico State University.

Dix noted Senor Buscador, who won last year’s $20 million Saudi Cup, worked over the Sunland surface Dec. 23 as he prepares for the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park.

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