Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino
Sunday, February 16, 2025
Getaway Car narrowly prevails in thrilling edition of $400,000 Sunland Derby
Jockey Juan Hernandez and Getaway Car proved narrowly best over jockey Rafael Bejarano and Caldera in Sunday’s 20th running of the $400,000 Sunland Derby in front of a massive crowd of 14,195 fans at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino.
Getaway Car, making the first start of his 3-year-old campaign, raced on the lead throughout much of the 1 1-16 mile journey, having a clear advantage down the backstretch ahead of Smash It and Itsmybirthday through an opening half-mile of 46.93 seconds.
Hernandez asked the son of Curlin for more as the field turned for home preparing for the rush of Caldera, who made up ground around the far turn. Caldera had a brief lead at the head of the lane before being headed again to his inside by Getaway Car. The two battled all the way to the finish line with Getaway Car prevailing by a nose.
Trained by Bob Baffert and owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan, Getaway Car reached the finish line in a final time of 1 minute, 42.64 seconds.
“That was the race we expected him to run,” said Baffert assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes in the winners circle. “(Hernandez) did a great job getting him to the lead and finding more.”
In addition to the lion’s share of the purse, Getaway Car’s win in the $400,000 Sunland Derby earns him 20 quaifiying points for the May 3rd Kentucky Derby. Getaway Car now has 36 points, thanks to stakes efforts as a 2-year-old last year, which would put him squarely in position for a spot in the starting gate for the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs.
Getaway Car now has three wins from seven career starts. Last summer, he won the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar before a second place finish in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita and a second place effort in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity. The win in the $400,000 Sunland Derby pads Getaway Car’s career bankroll to more than $585,000.
Getaway Car’s win in the $400,000 Sunland Derby marks the fourth winner of the race for Baffert. He last won the race in 2014 with Chitu. Baffert also trained 2013 Sunland Derby winner Govenor Charlie, as well as Wanna Runner in 2006.
Baffert has trained six Kentucky Derby winners, with American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018) winning thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown.
Sent off as the 6-to-5 favorite, Getaway Car returned $4.40 to his winning backers.
Caldera, trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, ran too well to lose in finishing second, nine lengths clear of the rest of the field. The son of Liam’s Map was coming into the $400,000 Sunland Derby off a maiden win last month at Oaklawn Park.
The $2 exacta with the top two finishers returned $23.20.
Touchy was a well-beaten third under Joel Rosario, while Take Charge Tom finished fourth under Orlando Mojica. McKinzie Street was an early scratch from the race, leaving a field of eight runners.
Runnin N Gunnin rolls to impressive score in $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks
Trainer Steve Asmussen saddled both the winner and runner-up in Sunday’s $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks, sending Runnin N Gunnin to a strong, 4 3/4-length win over stablemate Enchanting.
Runnin N Gunnin, who raced midpack down the backstretch in the one-mile affair, made up ground into and around the far turn under Sunland Park’s leading thoroughbred jockey Alfredo Juarez, Jr., grabbed the lead at the top of the lane and quickly drew clear of her six rivals in a time of 1 minute, 40.09 seconds.
The 3-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Gun Runner owned by Douglas Scharbauer shipped in off a winning effort at Sam Houston Race Park and has now scored three wins from six starts, with earnings approaching $194,000. Runnin N Gunnin broke her maiden as a 2-year-old last October at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Enchanting, ridden by Ramon Vazquez, was a well-beaten second, giving Asmussen a sweep of the top two finishers in the Sunland Park Oaks.
Runnin N Gunnin is Asmussen’s third winner of the Sunland Park Oaks. Last year, he sent Recharge to the winners circle under jockey Joel Roasario. Asmussen also captured the 2008 Sunland Park Oaks with Sky Mom and jockey Garrett Gomez.
Sent off at odds of 5.90-to-1, Runnin N Gunnin paid back $13.80 to her winning backers. The $2 exacta with Enchanting returned $79.80. Stubby finished third with Pink Pacific rounding out the top four finishers.
Prohibitive post time favorite Maysam was a bit unruly when she arrived at the starting gate under jockey Juan Hernandez, then broke a bit slow before being forced to move early on the opening turn. Trained by Bob Baffert, Maysam wound up finishing a well-beaten sixth.
Corrina Corrina continues record-setting career, romping in $100,000 Harry Henson Stakes
New Mexico’s all-time richest thoroughbred Corrina Corrina drew clear in the stretch to post an emphatic win against open company, scoring a decisive victory in the $100,000 Harry Henson Stakes.
Owned by Derrick Jenkins and trained by Gary Cross, Corrina Corrina raced midpack down the backstretch under Tracy Hebert. Brashanknowit had a 2-length lead while being pursued by Dont Bring Crazy and Valence through an opening half mile timed in 46.89 seconds.
Corrina Corrina, racing four-wide around the far turn, quickly made up ground to race alongside the tiring leading trio and took command of the field as the field straightened away for home. The 6-year-old mare by Mr. Trieste gradually pulled clear to win by four lengths, stopping the clock in a time of 1 minute, 36.94 seconds for one mile.
Already the richest state-bred thoroughbred in New Mexico history, Corrina Corrina’s win in the Harry Henson Stakes puts her alongside another statebred legend Peppers Pride with 19 career victories, tying her for second place among the winningest New Mexico-bred thoroughbreds of all time, just one behind Ciento, with 20 career victories.
Corrina Corrina has now won three of four starts at Sunland Park this season, most recently scoring a win in the La Coneja Stakes as well as the New Mexico Racing Commission Handicap last month.
Corrina Corrina now has amassed career earnings approaching $1.3 million while winning for the eighth time from 13 starts at Sunland Park. She also improves her lifetime record to six wins from eight starts at the distance.
Sent off as the even-money favorite, Corrina Corrina returned $4 to her winning backers. Love Tank closed well under Alfredo Juarez, Jr. to narrowly edge Dont Bring Crazy for second, prompting a $2 exacta payoff of $27.60. Valence rounded out the top four finishers in the field of six older fillies and mares.
Mojica rolls to victory in $90,000 Red Hedeman Mile
Don S. Apodaca’s Mojica, under a solid ride from jockey Jose Vazquez, turned in a runaway score in the $90,000 Red Hedeman Mile for trainer Luis Rojero.
The 3-year-old New Mexico-bred son of Marking took command of the field entering the backstretch, leading by as much as 2 lengths through a moderate tempo of 47.82 seconds for the opening half mile. Mojica maintained that advantage around the far turn and into the stretch, winning by three-quarters of a length ahead of a fast-closing B Bold Charlie. Mojica raced a mile in a time of 1 minute, 39.65 seconds.
Mojica has now won twice from three career starts. The recent maiden winner over this course at 5 1/2 furlongs and had no problem stretching out to a mile and has now earned more than $83,000 for his connections.
Sent off at odds of 2.90-to-1, Mojica returned $7.80 to her winning backers. The $2 exacta with B Bold Charlie paid back $29.20. Post time favorite Holy Hank tired late to finish third, while Stand Up Guy rounded out the top four finishers. Short Round Bound and American Ranger BB were both scratched earlier in the day, reducing the Hedeman Mile to a field of six.
Forty Five romps to victory in $90,000 Peppers Pride Stakes
Trainer Dick Cappellucci and Centurion Racing Partners, LLC scored a 1-2 finish in Sunday’s $90,000 Peppers Pride Stakes, with Forty Five earning her first career stakes win in a romp under jockey Ramon Vazquez.
Forty Five, a 3-year-old daughter of Marking, raced on the lead throughout the one-mile event, dueling with Souped Up Wildcat and American Cherub down the backstretch. Stablemate Thatsaterriblidea made a strong bid for the lead midway around the far turn under Alfredo Juarez, Jr. and appeared to have the advantage turning for home.
Vazquez found another gear aboard Forty Five, who opened up inside the final furlong on her way to a 6 3/4-length victory, racing the mile in a time of 1 minute, 41.15 seconds.
Forty Five was most recently a fifth-place finisher in the La Senora Stakes last time out behind American Cherub. Sunday’s win snapped a two-race losing streak following a maiden win last November at Zia Park. She has now two wins from five starts with earnings of more than $105,000.
Sent off at odds of 9-to-2, Forty Five paid back $11 to her winning backers. The $2 exacta with stablemate Thatsaterriblidea returned $39.80. Sirrah finished third with Souped Up Wildcat rounding out the top four finishers.
A total handle of $4,239,375 was wagered on the 10-race card. The tally is believed be the third best handle in the history of Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino.
Live racing at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino resumes Thursday with a first post time of 12:25 p.m.
