Stronghold hoping to make Sunland Park Derby

Stronghold was scratched from the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita last Saturday in favor of a scheduled start in the Grade 3 Sunland Park Derby on Feb. 18 in New Mexico.

Now, trainer Phil D’Amato needs the Southern California weather to cooperate in coming days to make the revised plan work.

Areas around Santa Anita, where Stronghold is based with D’Amato, sustained more than eight inches of rain from Saturday through late Tuesday, leaving the main track closed for activity from Sunday through Wednesday.

D’Amato fears the lack of training on those days and limited training in coming days could affect Stronghold’s fitness.

“I was expecting to train today,” D’Amato said Wednesday morning. “I tack-walked for four days.”

D’Amato said the Sunland Park race is the primary option and the Rebel Stakes on Feb. 24 at Oaklawn Park is another consideration.

“I’m thinking of what is best for the horse. He’s doing phenomenal. It’s trying to pick the right spot and have him at his maximum best.”

Owned by Rick and Sharon Waller, Stronghold has not raced since he finished second by a half-length to Wynstock in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity at 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 16.

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After being withdrawn from the Lewis early Saturday, Stronghold was given a half-mile workout that morning in 48.40 seconds, allowing the colt some important activity before the rain arrived.

The $400,000 Sunland Park Derby is run at 1 1/16 miles. The Grade 2 Rebel is run at 1 1/16 miles with a purse of $1.25 million.

D’Amato said travel logistics are a factor. A trip to Sunland Park requires a 16-hour van ride from Southern California. Stronghold would be flown to Oaklawn.

“Our plans are still Sunland Park,” he said. “Pending day-to-day training and seeing what he may have missed, those plans might change.

“I’m keeping the Rebel in the back of my mind in case we need the extra time. There’s a lot of moving parts. I think the horse’s fitness level is paramount.”

D’Amato said he has no regrets of skipping the Lewis. The one-mile race was won by the undefeated Nysos, who pulled clear by 7 1/2 lengths in the stretch. Nysos earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 105, the best of the year so far by a 3-year-old.

“With the lofty Beyer Nysos ran, I think we might have been running for second,” D’Amato said.

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