Sunland Park: Song of Navarone steps up

Song of Navarone may have earned his way into the $600,000 WinStar Derby, to be run at Sunland Park on March 18. The 3-year-old did the local set proud in last Saturday's Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita. The runner-up in the Riley Allison Futurity, he set the pace in the 1 1/8-mile Sham and then kept on doggedly when tackled first by Liquidity at the top of the lane and then by Ravel in midstretch.

A son of Sultry Song, Song of Navarone battled gamely under Jon Court at 26-1 to end up third, beaten three lengths by Liquidity for second. Ravel had swept by to win by a length. Behind Song of Navarone were stakes winners Kolo and Pirates Deputy, as well as a $1 million Fusaichi Pegasus colt, Time Squared.

Song of Navarone is trained by Henry Dominguez for owner George Coleman.