Gettysburg, Collected look to regroup in Sunland Festival of Racing
Gettysburg and Collected both had run-ins with leading Kentucky Derby candidates last month and as such figure to start as the top two choices Sunday in the $415,000 Sunland Park Festival of Racing Stakes. Gettysburg was fifth to Destin in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, while Collected ran fourth to Suddenbreakingnews in the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
The Festival Stakes, for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles, replaces this year’s Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Park Derby. The meet’s main event was canceled after a month of local racing was lost to an outbreak of the equine herpesvirus. A quarantine of Sunland, which is located in New Mexico, was lifted March 9.
The Festival Stakes will not carry Kentucky Derby eligibility points like the Sunland Derby, but interest in the race was high as a field of 12 will go, including shippers from Southern California and south Florida. The Festival Stakes is the centerpiece of a card of seven stakes worth $1.1 million. The program is the richest of the meet and includes the $200,000 Plum Pretty, which replaces this year’s Sunland Park Oaks.
KEY CONTENDERS
Gettysburg, by Pioneerof the Nile
Last 3 Beyers: 77-83-68
◗ He was favored in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis in his last start Feb. 13 but finished 8 1/2 lengths behind Destin, who has since won the Tampa Bay Derby in track-record time. Todd Pletcher, who trains both Gettysburg and Destin, said he expected much more from Gettysburg.
“The horse had trained very well,” Pletcher said. “He and Destin have trained together a lot, and he’s always been competitive in the mornings with Destin. Basically, talking with [jockey] Javier [Castellano] after the race, he told me, ‘Don’t get down on this horse. He did not handle the surface.’ He said he’d run back good, and the horse has come back and trained well.”
◗ Pletcher is hoping the Sunland surface might be a better fit for Gettysburg, who had won a maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park one race prior to the Sam F. Davis.
“I think Sunland, the way the surface is generally, would suit his forward-running style,” said Pletcher.
◗ Gettysburg is proven at the distance of the Festival Stakes, as his maiden win came at 1 1/8 miles Jan. 9.
◗ Castellano has the mount for WinStar Farm.
Collected, by City Zip
Last 3 Beyers: 85-81-83
◗ He was favored in the Grade 3 Southwest and finished 5 1/4 lengths behind Suddenbreakingnews, who was to start as a top contender Saturday in the Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel at Oaklawn. As for Collected, he shows a pair of seven-furlong works in preparation for the move to 1 1/8 miles for the first time Sunday.
◗ Martin Garcia has the mount for Speedway Stable and trainer Bob Baffert.
Found Money, by Square Eddie
Last 3 Beyers: 75-76-69
◗ He is a two-time stakes winner, taking the $125,000 Santa Anita Juvenile last June and the $101,000 King Glorious two starts ago at Los Alamitos.
◗ Mario Gutierrez has the mount for Reddam Racing and trainer Doug O’Neill, the same team that will run Ralis in the Rebel.
Dad, by Malibu Moon
Last 3 Beyers: 61-45-36
◗ He is a sentimental favorite as a son of Peppers Pride, the New Mexico-bred millionaire who went 19 for 19.