Sunland Park Derby
Horse race
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Sunland Park Derby is a Listed American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles on the dirt scheduled annually in February at Sunland Park Racetrack in Sunland Park, New Mexico. The event currently offers a purse of $500,000.
| Class | Listed |
|---|---|
| Location | Sunland Park Racetrack Sunland Park, New Mexico, United States |
| Inaugurated | 2003 (as WinStar Derby) |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | Sunland Park Derby |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄16 miles |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-olds |
| Weight | Fillies: 117 lbs. Colts & Geldings: 122 lbs |
| Purse | $500,000 (2026) |
| Bonuses | Qualification points – Road to the Kentucky Derby |
History
The event was inaugurated on March 30, 2003, as the WinStar Derby after sponsorship by WinStar Farm of Versailles, Kentucky. The purse allotted was $500,000 which was a major attraction to the track.[1] Previously, Sunland Park has hosted an event known as the Riley Allison Derby. However, the purse offered for the event was a fraction of what the new event. Later the Riley Allison Derby was moved to January. Today it is known as the Riley Allison Stakes and it is a preparation event for the Sunland Park Derby.
In 2005 the distance of the event was increased to 1+1⁄8 miles.[2] In 2009 the event was renamed as the Sunland Derby and the purse was increased to $900,000.[3] The fourth place finisher in that event, Mine That Bird followed that effort with a stunning victory in the Kentucky Derby.
For the event's 11th running in 2010, it received Grade III status from the American Graded Stakes Committee for the first time.[4] Since 2013 the event is an official Road to the Kentucky Derby prep race with qualification points offered.
The 2016 running of the Sunland Derby was cancelled due to an outbreak of Equine herpesvirus 1.[5]
In 2019 the event was run as the Sunland Park Derby.[6]
The 2020 and 2021 running of the Sunland Park Derby was cancelled due to an outbreak of COVID-19.[7] The purse for the event was decrease substantially in 2022 to $500,000 when the event was resumed.[6]
In 2024 the distance was decreased to 1+1⁄16 miles and the event was moved in the racing calendar to mid-February.[6]
In 2025 the event was downgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to Listed status.[8]
Records
Speed record:
- 1+1⁄16 miles: 1:42.64 – Stronghold (2024) & Getaway Car (2025)
- 1+1⁄8 miles: 1:46.94 – Cutting Humor (2019)
Margins
- 14+1⁄2 lengths – Firing Line (2015)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 2 - Victor Espinoza (2006, 2007)
- 2 - Martin Garcia (2013, 2014)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 4 - Bob Baffert (2006, 2013, 2014, 2025)
- 4 - Doug F. O'Neill (2003, 2005, 2022, 2026)
Most wins by an owner:
- 2 - Michael E. Pegram (2006, 2013)
- 2 - Reddam Racing (2022, 2026)
Winners
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunland Park Derby | ||||||||||
| 2026 | Pavlovian | Edwin Maldonado | Doug F. O'Neill | Reddam Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.22 | $500,000 | Listed | [9] | |
| 2025 | Getaway Car | Juan J. Hernandez | Bob Baffert | SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.64 | $400,000 | Listed | [10] | |
| 2024 | Stronghold | Antonio Fresu | Philip D’Amato | Eric M. Waller & Sharon Waller | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.64 | $400,000 | III | [11] | |
| 2023 | Wild On Ice | Ken S. Tohill | Joel H. Marr | Frank Sumpter Jr. | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:51.39 | $600,000 | III | [12] | |
| 2022 | Slow Down Andy | Mario Gutierrez | Doug F. O'Neill | Reddam Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.16 | $500,000 | III | [13] | |
| 2021 | Not run due to the COVID-19 pandemic[7] | |||||||||
| 2020 | ||||||||||
| 2019 | Cutting Humor | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Starlight Racing | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.16 | $800,000 | III | [14] | |
| Sunland Derby | ||||||||||
| 2018 | Runaway Ghost | Tracy J. Hebert | Todd W. Fincher | Joe Peacock | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.20 | $800,000 | III | [15] | |
| 2017 | Hence | Alfredo J. Juarez Jr. | Steven M. Asmussen | Calumet Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.10 | $800,000 | III | [16] | |
| 2016 | Not run due to an outbreak of Equine herpesvirus[5] | |||||||||
| 2015 | Firing Line | Gary L. Stevens | Simon Callaghan | Arnold Zetcher | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.39 | $800,000 | III | [17] | |
| 2014 | Chitu | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Tanma Corporation | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.88 | $800,110 | III | [18] | |
| 2013 | Govenor Charlie | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | Michael E. Pegram | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:47.54 | $800,000 | III | [19] | |
| 2012 | Daddy Nose Best | Julien Leparoux | Steven M. Asmussen | Cathy & Robert Zollars | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.59 | $800,000 | III | [20] | |
| 2011 | Twice the Appeal | Christian S. Reyes | Jeffrey L. Bonde | Edward J. Brown Jr., Victor Flores & Henry Hernandez | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.91 | $800,000 | III | [21] | |
| 2010 | Endorsement | Robby Albarado | Shannon Ritter | WinStar Farm | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.46 | $800,000 | III | [22] | |
| 2009 | Kelly Leak | Mike E. Smith | Mike Machowsky | Blahut Racing, Dennis Avila & Dave Johnson | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.02 | $900,000 | Listed | [3] | |
| WinStar Derby | ||||||||||
| 2008 | Liberty Bull | Gerard Melancon | Thomas M. Amoss | Kenneth Maier | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.82 | $600,000 | Listed | [23] | |
| 2007 | Song of Navarone | Victor Espinoza | Henry Dominguez | George E. Coleman | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.53 | $600,000 | Listed | [24] | |
| 2006 | Wanna Runner | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | Michael E. Pegram | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:48.88 | $600,000 | Listed | [25] | |
| 2005 | Thor's Echo | Corey Nakatani | Doug F. O'Neill | Suarez Racing Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:49.59 | $500,000 | Listed | [26] | |
| 2004 | Hi Teck Man | Ricardo Jaime | Johnnie Nall | Hassel R. & Bonnie V. Spraberry | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.20 | $500,000 | Listed | [27] | |
| 2003 | Excessivepleasure | Pat Day | Doug F. O'Neill | Lee & Ty Leatherman | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.84 | $500,000 | Listed | [1] | |