Sir Rick in the mix in Mine That Bird Derby

A strong recent work has sent Sir Rick back into stakes company Sunday for the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland Park, according to his trainer, Robertino Diodoro.

The 1 1/16-mile race is one of four stakes on the card, and it serves as the final local prep for next month’s Grade 3, $700,000 Sunland Derby. The program includes the $75,000 Island Fashion, a prep for the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks, and an allowance that drew Grade 3 winner Runaway Ghost.

The Mine That Bird Derby lured six, but Exaulted was to be scratched for an overnight race at Santa Anita, trainer Peter Eurton said Thursday.

Stackin Silver, who comes off an allowance win at Santa Anita, and Jungle Runner, winner of the $100,000 Clever Trevor at Remington Park, figure to start as top choices alongside Sir Rick. The latter was a 5 1/4-length allowance winner Jan. 18 at Sam Houston and for the wire job he earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 70.

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“It seems to me the horse could be getting better, and I think he deserved a shot in there,” Diodoro said of targeting the Mine That Bird Derby. “He worked really well the other day, and the final decision to go was because of how well he worked.”

Sir Rick breezed five-eighths in 1:02.20 on Feb. 15 at Sam Houston.

Sir Rick has been flattered since his last start, with runner-up Dr. Forman coming back in his next out to win an allowance route at Delta Downs with a Beyer Speed Figure of 73. The Mine That Bird Derby will be the third two-turn start for Sir Rick, who in November was third in the $100,000 Jean Lafitte at a mile at Delta. The son of Paynter will break from post 4 under jockey Francisco Arrieta.

“I don’t think he necessarily needs to be on the front,” Diodoro said. “We’ll do our best to have him forwardly placed.”

Diodoro trains Sir Rick for Richard L. Davis.

Jungle Runner will add blinkers one start after finishing an uncharacteristic eighth in the $150,000 Smarty Jones on Jan. 24 at Oaklawn. The fourth-place finisher from that race, Silver Prospector, came back to win the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest Stakes.

Jungle Runner was a maiden special weight winner at a mile last September at Remington. He races for his breeder, Calumet Farm. Steve Asmussen trains the son of Candy Ride and is looking for his second Sunland Derby prep win of the meet, behind last month’s $100,000 Riley Allison Derby with Rowdy Yates. Luis Contreras was aboard for that win and on Sunday will team with Jungle Runner from post 6.

The one-mile Island Fashion has a strong Golden Gate Fields feel, with three of its seven starters having raced at the track near the San Francisco Bay.

“It looks like the bridge has come to El Paso,” trainer Justin Evans joked.

Evans and Stable H M A have two of those fillies, in Shanghai Keely and Brave Cinderella.

The other runner with Golden Gate form is Dynasty of Her Own, who makes her two-turn debut after winning both of her career starts.

Shanghai Keely was a $40,000 claim last out, off a fourth-place finish in a Feb. 8 race at a mile at Golden Gate. Earlier in her career, she had run third in the track’s $55,000 Debutante and fourth in the Grade 2 Sorrento at Del Mar.

“She’s a beautiful filly. I like everything about her,” Evans said of the daughter of Shanghai Bobby. “She’s trained really well. Ideally, we’d like to get a stalking trip.”

J.R. Coates has the mount from post 6.

Brave Cinderella was a $12,500 claim last out off a runner-up finish in a mile race at Golden Gate. She was beaten a nose in what marked the two-turn debut for the daughter of Brave Cat.

“She ran too good to lose last time,” Evans said.

“It looks like distance is not an issue.”

Evans said the test will be class, as she moves into the stakes ranks for the first time Sunday.

Evans has one more starter, Showmethemagic. She will break from the rail following a third-place finish in the $65,000 Borderplex on Jan. 26 at Sunland. She set a pressured pace in the 6 1/2-furlong race and will be making her two-turn debut Sunday.

“They went pretty fast up front last time and when others wilted she went on and tried to dig in,” Evans said. “I’ve been looking forward to stretching her out a little bit. She’s grown up, really blossomed into a big, pretty filly.”

Ry Eikleberry has the mount from the rail Sunday.

Dynasty of Her Own won her debut in a maiden special weight in November at Golden Gate and last out captured the Borderplex. Arrieta has the mount for trainer Jonathan Wong.

◗ Rig Time will be looking for his third straight win when he stretches out to 1 1/16 miles for the $100,000 Albert and Henry Dominguez Memorial. The race honors the late brothers long affiliated with Sunland. Luis Contreras has the mount on Rig Time for trainer Weston Martin.

◗ Triple Crown nominee Ancient Land will be going for his third consecutive stakes win when he moves back to two turns for the $100,000 Red Hedeman Mile. The race is for 3-year-olds bred in New Mexico. Contreras has the mount for trainer Casey Lambert.