Runaway Ghost to settle in early in Kentucky

Trainer Todd Fincher on Monday was making shipping plans for Runaway Ghost, who is headed to the Kentucky Derby after picking up 50 eligibility points Sunday via his 2 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby.

“I’ve been talking to Chip Woolley to see if he’ll drive him up there,” Fincher deadpanned Monday. “If that doesn’t work we’ll just fly him up there.”

Woolley famously vanned Mine That Bird to Churchill Downs off a fourth-place finish in the Sunland Derby in 2009. The horse would go on to upset the Kentucky Derby at 50-1.

Fincher said plans are to fly Runaway Ghost to Kentucky in the near future. He said Monday the horse emerged from the biggest win of his career on Sunday in good order, and that he will undergo a precautionary physical exam before heading to Kentucky.

“We’re thinking about shipping to Kentucky pretty soon,” Fincher said. “We’ll go over him with a fine-tooth comb first. I would like to have the horse up there at least a month beforehand. I want to get him comfortable over that track.”

Sunland has been home to Runaway Ghost since December, when he returned to New Mexico after launching his career in California. Runaway Ghost, who races for his breeder, Joe Peacock, received his early training lessons in New Mexico from Fincher and was sent to trainer Mike Machowsky in California at 2. He won a stakes at Golden Gate, and after a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity on Dec. 9 returned to Fincher to target the 3-year-old series at Sunland.

Runaway Ghost won the Riley Allison Futurity in January at Sunland, then was second in the track’s Mine That Bird Derby in February. Reride, who won the Mine That Bird Derby, is set to compete this weekend in the UAE Derby. As for Runaway Ghost, he showed a new dimension in the Sunland Derby, when he came from off the pace.

“I was pretty impressed,” Fincher said. “He made a big move. I was worried about flattening out the last part, but he kept going.

“Coming off the pace – that’s the one thing we wanted from Day 1.”

Runaway Ghost is a son of Ghostzapper and the mare Rose’s Desert, who won seven stakes and earned $626,035 while competing in New Mexico. She raced for Peacock and was trained by Fincher.

Fincher is a former jockey who retired from the saddle in 1997 and began training in 1998. He said the Sunland Derby was the biggest win of his career. He had won graded stakes for Quarter Horses as both a rider and a trainer. Fincher is based year round in New Mexico.

Tracy Hebert has been aboard Runaway Ghost in each of his New Mexico starts. Fincher said he would like the jockey to team with the horse in the Kentucky Derby, but said the final decision will come from Peacock.

Runaway Ghost earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 85 for his win in the Sunland Derby. Fincher said he could take Kram, who was second in the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks on Sunday, and a 2-year-old to Kentucky along with Runaway Ghost. The horses could head first to Keeneland.

Runaway Ghost last week was made a late nominee to the Triple Crown.

Marr mulls options for Blamed

The direction Blamed will take following her $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks win is to be determined, trainer Joel Marr said Monday, a day after the filly picked up 50 eligibility points for the Kentucky Oaks.

The Sunland Oaks was the fifth straight win for Blamed, who is based in New Mexico.

“She’s happy and playing, and knocked the bottom out of her feed tub,” Marr said.

Blamed has won her last five starts by a combined margin of 30 1/2 lengths. All of those wins came wire to wire except the Sunland Oaks. Blamed showed a new dimension in the Oaks, as she was content to track the pace en route to a 6 1/4-length win. She earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 79.

“Super happy with her performance,” Marr said. “We were able to sit off the pace a little bit.”

Marr said that he and owner Cleber Massey will discuss what direction to take with Blamed. He noted she has not yet met graded rivals, and that would be a consideration on whether to advance to the Oaks.

“We have to get a handle on what the smartest move is,” Marr said. “I know my filly’s got a huge heart. I know she’s going to try and give her best. I don’t think we’ve see her best. Is it good enough to compete with those fillies or not?

“I like the fact she has a lot of natural speed. That helps stay out of a jam. She doesn’t have to be on the lead, but if you need to be she’s one that can get there.”

Marr said regardless of whether Blamed advances to the Kentucky Oaks, she is likely headed out of state for her next start as there are no races for her in New Mexico until later in the year. The $300,000 Zia Park Oaks is traditionally run in November.

“There’s races all over the country during the summer that she’s eligible for,” Marr said. “She has a grass pedigree, as well. As long as she’s happy and sound, she’s going to go somewhere to run. I don’t know for sure where.”

◗ Sunland handled $4,278,343 on its 12-race card from all sources Sunday in what is a record for the track, according to Dustin Dix, director of racing operations for Sunland. The handle number eclipsed the previous record of $3,820,986 set on Sunland Derby Day in 2013. Dix said attendance ontrack Sunday was 16,717.