Runaway Ghost looking to rebound in Sunland Park Handicap

Runaway Ghost will be moving back to the distance of his biggest win Saturday, when he stretches out to 1 1/8 miles for the $150,000 Sunland Park Handicap.

It was at the New Mexico track a year ago that Runaway Ghost won at the distance in the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby.

The Sunland Park Handicap has drawn a field of six older horses, with Lookin At Lee, the runner-up in the 2017 Kentucky Derby, invading from Oaklawn and American Dubai entering off a powerful overnight win at Sunland.

Also on the card Saturday is the $110,000 Copper Top Futurity for 2-year-olds bred in New Mexico, led by debut winners Jim Edd Who and Spec.

Sunland Park Handicap (Race 8)

KEY CONTENDERS

Runaway Ghost, by Ghostzapper
Last 3 Beyers: 50-92-95

◗ Runaway Ghost is the 123-pound highweight, having won two of three starts this year, including the $75,000 Ft. Bliss and $75,000 Curribot Handicap, both at Sunland. He enters off an uncharacteristic 12th-place finish in the Grade 3 Commonwealth at seven furlongs April 6 at Keeneland.

“He had tons of trouble,” said trainer Todd Fincher. “He broke a little slow, was behind all those horses. He got sandblasted, caught a [dirt] clod in his eye.

“After the race, he couldn’t open his eye.”

Fincher said that fortunately, there were “no ill effects” to Runaway Ghost’s eye. The horse has since logged a pair of works at Sunland.

“We brought him back home, and we’ll see if we can amend that effort we had over at Keeneland,” said Fincher.

◗ Runaway Ghost will break from post 6 under Santiago Gonzalez and could sit just off wire-to-wire threat American Dubai.

“I think we’ve got to pretty much be right off of his hip, a length or so back, and just track him around there,” said Fincher, who trains Runaway Ghost for Joe Peacock.

American Dubai, by E Dubai
Last 3 Beyers: 82-89-78

◗ He was the runner-up to Runaway Ghost in the Curribot, and in his one start since then flattered that one by taking an optional $12,500 claiming race at a mile April 16. American Dubai set the pace and went on to a 6 1/2-length win under Ry Eikleberry, who again has the mount for trainer Rodney Richards.

◗ American Dubai won the Sunland Park Handicap in 2017, and the same year won another 1 1/8-mile race in the $200,000 Downs at Albuquerque Handicap.