Suva Harbor invades for Island Fashion Stakes

Tryouts for the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks are being held Sunday in New Mexico.

The featured $50,000 Island Fashion Stakes is the local stepping-stone to Sunland Park’s richest race for the division, and the one-mile stakes has drawn a significant Southern California shipper in Suva Harbor.

Suva Harbor faced one of the leading 3-year-old fillies in the country last out in Callback and as such should be a strong favorite for trainer John Sadler. She leads a field of eight fillies Sunday, among them Rousanne, who is multiple stakes-placed, and Untraveled, the runner-up in the $50,120 El Paso Times at Sunland.

The Sunland Park Oaks, a 1 1/16-mile race, will share a card with the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby on March 22.

KEY CONTENDERS

Suva Harbor (Last 3 Beyers: 66-76-61)

◗ Suva Harbor has won 2 of 5 starts, including an optional $80,000 claimer at a mile at Santa Anita on Jan. 4.

◗ The front-running win sent her to the Grade 1 Las Virgenes at Santa Anita on Jan. 31, and she was part of the pace before finishing sixth to Callback.

◗ Suva Harbor is a daughter of Rockport Harbor and the mare Queen Dido, who has produced an eight-time winner and a six-time winner.

◗ Noberto Arroyo Jr. has the mount from post 3 for the ownership of Gary Barber, Cecil Barber, and Wachtel Stables.

Rousanne (Last 3 Beyers: 50-53-40)

◗ She’s placed in two stakes in her career, starting with the Debutante at Churchill Downs in June, a race won by the still-undefeated Promise Me Silver. Rousanne’s other stakes placing came last out in the El Paso Times at Sunland.

◗ Rousanne is making her two-turn debut, and given the next-to-last run she put in over 6 1/2 furlongs last out, she might appreciate the added distance Sunday.

◗ Ry Eikleberry has the mount for Teed Off Stable and trainer Justin Evans.

Untraveled (Last 3 Beyers: 54-56-24)

◗ She was the runner-up in the El Paso Times in her first start against winners for trainer Greg Green.

◗ Untraveled will make the move to two turns Sunday.

Synkros (Last 3 Beyers: 51-45-58)

◗ She is a two-time winner at two turns, with a maiden win at a mile at Remington Park and a first-level optional-claiming score at Sam Houston in her most recent out Feb. 6.

◗ Casey Lambert has the mount for Winchell Thoroughbreds and trainer Steve Asmussen.