Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino
Friday, January 16, 2026
Field of nine to contest $100,000 Riley Allison Derby
A total of four stakes races worth $305,000 in purse money headline a strong nine-race card of live racing Sunday at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino.
The 62nd running of the $100,000 Riley Allison Derby, the leading prep race for next month’s $500,000 Sunland Derby, features a wide-open field of nine 3-year-olds racing one mile.
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will saddle Way Beyond, the 5-to-2 morning line favorite in the Riley Allison Derby, which will be run as the seventh race on the program. A Kentucky-bred son of Twirling Candy, Way Beyond has one win from six lifetime starts and was most recently a well-beaten sixth in the $300,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park last time out.
Owned by Ed Orr and Susie Orr, Way Beyond broke his maiden last September at Churchill Downs. Way Beyond will be ridden by Keith Asmussen and will break from post two in the field.
Trainer Robertino Diodoro will be looking to win the Riley Allison Derby for the second straight year when he sends out Truly Unbelievable, the third choice on the morning line at odds of 9-to-2. Owned by Arnold Bennewith, Clayton Wiest and Rick Wiest, the son of Vekoma finished ninth in the Zia Juvenile last time out but broke his maiden by nearly nine lengths last September at Remington Park.
Truly Unbelievable will break from the rail in the Riley Allison Derby with Orlando Mojica in the irons. That same rider/trainer tandem scored a win in this race last year with Take Charge Tom.
The winner of the Riley Allison Derby will likely be one of the favorites for the $500,000 Sunland Derby, which will be held on Sunday, Feb. 15. The Sunland Derby has been a steppingstone for several winners on the road to the Kentucky Derby. Post time for the Riley Allison Derby is scheduled for 3:04 p.m.
Pair of stakes winners headline $65,000 Borderplex Stakes
A field of five fillies with sights set on the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks next month will reach the starting gate for the 28’th running of the $65,000 Borderplex Stakes, which will be run as the fifth race on the Sunday card.
Steve Asmussen will send out 8-to-5 morning line favorite Not A Lady in the 6 1-2 furlong Borderplex Stakes. Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Into Mischief has three wins from five starts; her most recent win coming in last month’s Toby Keith Stakes at Remington Park. With earnings of more than $112,000, Not A Lady will break from the rail under Keith Asmussen.
The main rival to Not A Lady appears to be Justin Evans-trained Ready To Dial, shipping in to Sunland Park with an unblemished record after two career starts.
The Kentucky-bred daughter of Dialed in secured a stakes win over a sloppy track last November at Penn National, winning the Blue Mountain Stakes. Owned by Pierre Jean, Jr. & Leslie A. Amestoy and Roger K. Beasley, Ready To Dial will break from the outside post under Luis Valenzuela in the Borderplex Stakes, which will be run as the fifth race on the card with a scheduled post time of 2:09 p.m.
Southwest’s fastest sprinters contest $75,000 Ft Bliss Stakes
Older sprinters will compete in the two supporting stakes on the Sunday program. In the 21st running of the $75,000 Ft Bliss Stakes, Steve Asmussen-trained Ryvit has been installed as the 2-to-1 morning line favorite seeking his third straight win.
With earnings of more than $1.15 million in his bankroll for owners L. William and K. Corinne Heiligbrodt, Ryvit is a 10-time winner from 33 lifetime starts. The 6-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Competitive Edge secured his most recent trip to the winners circle earlier this month at Oaklawn Park.
Ryvit will break from post three in the eight-horse Ft Bliss field and will be ridden by Keith Asmussen.
The Ft Bliss Stakes will be run at a distance of six furlong and will go as the sixth race on the Sunday card with post time scheduled for 2:37 p.m.
Wide open field of older fillies take part in $65,000 Bold Ego Stakes
The final stakes race on the program features older fillies and mares in the 33’rd running of the $65,000 Bold Ego Stakes, which will be run as the eighth race on the card at a distance of 5 1-2 furlongs.
Trainer Todd Fincher sends out 4-to-1 morning line favorite Lookinforbargains in the Bold Ego with Olaf Hernandez in the irons. The 6-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by Practical Joke has six wins from 12 starts, with her most recent victory coming last time out when she pulled clear for an impressive win in the Zia Distaff.
Owned by Paul W. Jenson, Lookinforbargains will break from post eight in the 12-horse field. The Bold Ego Stakes will go as the eighth race on the card with post time set for 3:32 p.m. First race post time is 12:25 p.m.
