Sunland Derby undercard gets a boost

Sunland Park in New Mexico has strengthened its prep schedule for the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby, increased purses for stakes supporting that March 22 race, and restructured its race week among notable changes to the meet that opens on Friday.

Sunland, which operates a mixed season for Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, will race 76 dates through April 13.

The Sunland Derby, a 1 1/8-mile race worth 50 points to the winner on a preference system administered by Churchill Downs for qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, remains the centerpiece of the meet. It will again be supported by the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks at 1 1/16 miles, while purses for four other stakes have been boosted to $100,000 each, from previous levels of $75,000 or $85,000.

“We’re trying to bolster the undercard that day,” said Dustin Dix, director of racing operations for Sunland.

The road to the Sunland Derby will have a new stop. The Riley Allison Futurity, a traditional stakes for 2-year-olds run each December, has been transformed into a one-mile race for 3-year-olds. The Riley Allison Derby has a new date of Jan. 24 and a purse of $100,000.

“There’s so many 2-year-old races at the end of the year, we looked at the schedule and thought we’d move to January,” Dix said. “We’re just trying to make more of a series for the Sunland Derby. Horses will have a chance to stretch out and start their 3-year-old campaign that way.”

The Riley Allison Derby will be followed on the calendar by the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby, a 1 1/16-mile race Feb. 21. They are the two local lead-ins to the Sunland Derby.

Other highlights of the $3.4 million stakes schedule at slots-rich Sunland include the Grade 1, $350,000 Championship for Quarter Horses on Dec. 28, and the $75,000 Sunland Park Handicap at 1 1/8 miles April 12.

Sunland will race Fridays through Mondays, a schedule of four consecutive cards after years of racing on Tuesdays but not Mondays.

“We thought running four days in a row, the horsemen can get a break and the employees can get a break,” Dix said. “We thought it would be good for morale. We thought we’d take advantage of the holiday Mondays, as well. We ran on Tuesdays for probably 15 years, and we were looking for something new.”

Dix said Sunland has allotted all 1,558 stalls for the meet, where purses are projected to average $240,000 a program. Justin Evans is back to defend his training title against some new faces, including Eric Kruljac.

Ry Eikleberry, who won last year’s riding title at Sunland, is part of a colony that includes newcomer Noberto Arroyo Jr. Glen Murphy and Ken Tohill are both back after absences from Sunland.

Dix said Sunland’s signal will have an increased presence in California this meet, and also an expanded presence in countries like Mexico, Uruguay, and Spain. He said part of the appeal of Sunland is consistency, as mild winter weather helps make for fast tracks, large field sizes, and few cancellations.

The card Friday will feature trials for the $200,000 Winter Quarter Horse Futurity and $125,000 Winter Quarter Horse Derby. First post is 12:15 p.m. Mountain.