Optionality, Queen of Thorns invade for shot at points in Sunland Oaks

The proven Optionality and the promising Queen of Thorns will meet Sunday in the $300,000 Sunland Park Oaks.

The fillies are invading New Mexico from different regions for the 1 1/16-mile race that rewards its first four finishers with Kentucky Oaks points on a scale of 50-20-10-5.

The Sunland Oaks – which has had its purse value increased by $100,000 – is part of a 12-race card that includes the Sunland Derby. There are seven stakes on offer on the program that starts at 12:25 p.m. Mountain.

Optionality invades from Oaklawn, where the multiple stakes winner has been racing against the Arkansas Derby-bound Secret Oath. Optionality was second to Secret Oath in the $200,000 Martha Washington on Jan. 29 and sixth to her last out in the Grade 3 Honeybee on Feb. 26.

The latter race was not a true picture of Optionality, who put a three-race win streak together last year taking a maiden special weight by more than six lengths in October at Indiana Grand, the Zia Park Princess by more than six lengths in November, and the Trapeze by more than eight lengths in a time that went quicker than the Springboard Mile on the same card at Remington Park.

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“We’re trying to get her back in the winner’s circle,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains the homebred daughter of Gun Runner for Winchell Thoroughbreds. “She’s trained nicely since her last start and has traveled to New Mexico in the past and had success. She’s a very nice filly.”

Joel Rosario has the mount from post 6 in the 10-horse Sunland Oaks.

“She’s kind of a free-running horse,” Asmussen said.

Queen of Thorns is in from Santa Anita, where she won a maiden special weight sprint by eight lengths in her career debut Jan. 1. The daughter of Violence covered six furlongs in a quick 1:10.90, leading throughout under Flavien Prat.

It was an encouraging win, trainer Peter Eurton said.

“She’s got a lot of scope about her,” he said. “We always thought she would be a two-turn filly. She’s not super aggressive. When the gate opened, she showed a lot more than we could have even imagined.”

Queen of Thorns advanced to the Grade 3 Las Virgenes at a mile Feb. 6 at Santa Anita and finished second to Adare Manor. That one won on the front end, by 13 lengths. Queen of Thorns earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 72. It’s the best last-race number in the Sunland Oaks.

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“She didn’t quite run her best race,” Eurton said. “I thought she was a little quiet in the paddock. She didn’t show her natural speed. She sure has bounced back well enough.”

Queen of Thorns shows a strong series of five-furlong moves for the Sunland Oaks, which Eurton said was appealing because the timing suits the filly. He trains Queen of Thorns for Exline-Border Racing, Richard Hausman, William Hudock, and Aaron Kennedy. She could be prominent Sunday, when she breaks from post 8 under Victor Espinoza.

“If nobody goes, we’re definitely not taking her back,” Eurton said.

The Sunland Oaks field also includes Miss Hard Knocks, who has won both local stakes preps for the race, and Cali. Cali is a daughter of California Chrome and Peppers Pride, the New Mexico-bred who went 19 for 19.

Eurton will see action earlier in the card, with Sharapova in the $100,000 Harry Henson Handicap for fillies and mares at a mile. She is a winner at the distance and is moving back to two turns off a runner-up finish in a first-level allowance at seven furlongs on March 6 at Santa Anita. Rosario has the mount from post 4.

Gemstone Gal and Our Iris Rose are the co-highweights at 120 pounds. Gemstone Gal has won a Turf Paradise stakes and a Sunland allowance in her last two starts. Our Iris Rose has won a Lone Star Park stakes and a Sunland allowance in her last two starts. She is a full sister to past Sunland Derby winner Runaway Ghost.

Team Merchants moves back to dirt for the $100,000 Bill Thomas Memorial for 3-year-olds and up over 6 1/2 furlongs. He’s a 4-year-old full brother to Sunland Derby starter Slow Down Andy and like that one is adding blinkers Sunday.

“The siblings are coming in wearing blinkers and looking forward to the day in New Mexico,” trainer Doug O’Neill said.

O’Neill trains the homebreds by Nyquist for Reddam Racing.

“Just like me and my brother Dennis, they could not look any more different,” O’Neill said. “Big brother is truly a big brother – a big bay. Slow Down Andy is a smaller chestnut. Both are athletic – and talented.”

Team Merchants exits the Grade 1 Kilroe in which he finished 11th on March 5 at Santa Anita. He had removed blinkers for the race.

“We’re putting the blinkers back on and taking the come-and-get-us approach with Team Merchants,” said O’Neill, who has given the mount to Mario Gutierrez.

◗ The other stakes on the card cater to New Mexico-breds – the $250,000 New Mexico Breeders’ Derby, the $250,000 New Mexico Breeders’ Oaks, and the $120,000 New Mexico State University Stakes.