Sprint stakes winners clash at two turns in Riley Allison Derby
The stakes winners Concept, Bye Bye Bobby, Yukio, and Pepper Spray will all be looking for their first two-turn wins Sunday in the $100,000 Riley Allison Derby at Sunland Park.
The one-mile race is the first stop on the road to the Grade 3, $500,000 Sunland Derby on March 27. The other race in the series is the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby on Feb. 27.
The Riley Allison Derby is being showcased on a card of three stakes. The $65,000 Borderplex is a local stepping-stone to the $300,000 Sunland Park Oaks on March 27, and the $100,000 Jamison Memorial caters to 4-year-olds and up bred in New Mexico.
Concept was third in the $400,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park in his last start Dec. 17. The Beyer Speed Figure of 78 that he earned is the best last-race number in the 11-horse Riley Allison. Concept invades from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. He will start from the rail under Alfredo Juarez Jr.
“I expect to see a breakthrough performance,” Asmussen said. “He’s matured nicely, filled out. He’s way stronger than he was last fall. I feel he’ll move forward from his first two-turn race in the Springboard Mile.”
Concept is a son of the top young stallion Gun Runner and races for his breeders, Tony Holmes and Winchell Thoroughbreds. He won his maiden in the $75,000 Kip Deville Stakes in September at Remington. Since that race, runner-up Tejano Twist has come back to win the Lively Shively Stakes at Churchill Downs and third-place finisher Pinky Ring Bling won a division of the Texas Stallion Stakes at Sam Houston.
Bye Bye Bobby won his career debut in the Zia Park Juvenile on Nov. 23. He’s raced once since that six-furlong start, finishing seventh after contesting the pace in the Springboard Mile. Bye Bye Bobby is a half-brother to Grade 3 winner Poker Player.
Pepper Spray is unbeaten in two starts, winning a maiden special weight sprint last July at Canterbury and the $60,000 Lost in the Fog Juvenile at 6 1/2 furlongs in December at Turf Paradise.
Yukio won the $55,000 Manzano over six furlongs in September at the Downs at Albuquerque. He is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Zipessa.
Others making up the field include City At Night, a winner of his last two starts at Turf Paradise and a half-brother to both Twilight Eclipse, a multiple Grade 2 winner of $2.1 million, and Grand Contender, a Grade 3 winner who has earned more than $600,000.
Stakes-placed Slaats was a maiden winner at Laurel Park.
Tyler’s Dream could go favored in the eight-horse Borderplex, which will be run over 6 1/2 furlongs. She’s cutting back to one turn, and the last time she raced at the configuration, she was second to Optionality in the Zia Park Princess on Nov. 23.
Enrique Gomez has the mount on Tyler’s Dream for trainer Greg Green.
Asmussen will counter with the capable maiden Soaring, who is out of the Grade 1-winning mare Streaming.
In the Jamison Memorial at 6 1/2 furlongs, Tucum will be seeking his third straight win. His streak began in the $100,000 New Mexico Cup Derby on Oct. 31 at Zia Park and continued with a Jan. 15 allowance at Sunland Park. Gomez has the mount from the rail for trainer Danny Morales.