Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino
Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026
Pavlovian gets the nod in thrilling edition of $500,000 Sunland Derby
Pavlovian got his nose down on the wire under jockey Edwin Maldonado to win a thrilling 21st edition of the $500,000 Sunland Derby at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino in front of a crowd of 14,250 patrons.
Trained by Doug O’Neill for owner/breeder Reddam Racing LLC, Pavlovian stalked the early pace in the 1 1-16 mile Sunland Derby. As the field turned for home, post time favorite Express Kid appeared to edge clear under jockey Juan Hernandez. Pavlovian rallied inside the final furlong as the pair came to the wire together, with the son of Pavel prevailing by a nose in a stakes-record time of 1 minute, 42.22 seconds.
Bred in California, Pavlovian’s win in the $500,000 Sunland Derby earns him 20 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby. He has now won twice from nine career starts, snapping a six-race losing streak including his most recent start, a third-place finish in the California Cup Derby at Santa Anita Park last time out. The win in the Sunland Derby increases his lifetime earnings to more than $416,000.
For O’Neill, it’s his fourth win in the $500,000 Sunland Derby. The veteran trainer won the race in 2003 with Excessivepleasure and in 2005 with Thor’s Echo and again in 2022 with Slow Down Andy.
Express Kid, coming into the Sunland Derby off a win in the Springboard Mile at Remington Park and making his first start for trainer Justin Evans, earned 10 points for his second-place finish and also has 20 qualifying points towards the May 2 Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs.
Sent off at 5.10-to 1 odds, Pavlovian returned $12.20 to his winning backers. The $2 exacta with Express Kid paid $34.20. Bricklin settled for third with Daneyko rounding out the top four finishers.
Sharons Beach and Way Beyond were both scratched earlier in the day from the Sunland Derby, with a field of six racing in the event.
Bottle Of Rouge much the best in $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks
Bottle Of Rouge made a winning move around the far turn under jockey Juan Hernandez on her way to a convincing victory in the 23rd running of the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks.
Trained by Bob Baffert for owner Natalie Baffert, Bottle Of Rouge raced close to the early pace through a quick half mile. Hernandez guided the 3-year-old daughter of Vino Rosso to the outside and took command at the head of the lane. Despite drifting out a bit approaching the final furlong, Bottle of Rouge had enough left in the tank to win by 1 1-2 lengths, racing a mile in 1 minute, 35.82 seconds.
Bottle Of Rouge, bred in Kentucky by Kathie Maybee, won the Grade 2 Del Mar Debutante last summer at Del Mar and has now won three times from five career starts with earnings totaling $430,000. She also earns 20 qualifying points for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks to be run May 1 at Churchill Downs.
Bottle Of Rouge is the ninth winner in the Sunland Park Oaks for Bob Baffert and his first since Chasing Yesterday won the race in 2019. The Hall of Fame trainer earned his first win in this race with Tough Tiz’s Sis in 2007.
Sent off as the prohibitive post time favorite, Bottle Of Rouge paid $2.80 to win. The $2 exacta with Touch Of Magic returned $20. Pashmina finished third while Coffee Connection rounded out the top four finishers.
Ivy Girl was an early scratch from the Sunland Park Oaks, leaving a field of seven starters for the race.
Clovisconnection gets the nod in $100,000 Bill Thomas Memorial Stakes
Clovisconnection got the stakes racing action underway, posting a hard-fought win under jockey Luis Negron in the 35th running of the $100,000 Harry Bill Thomas Memorial Stakes.
Trained by Justin Evans for owner William L. Hedrick, Clovisconnection stalked a moderate pace down the backstretch before swinging wide into the turn. As the field bunched up on the turn, Clovisconnection swung wide to join the leading pack. Inside the final furlong, Negron and Clovisconnection got past a stubborn Neiman and prevailed by a length, racing 6 1-2 furlongs in a time of 1 minute, 14.91 seconds.
Bred in California, the 6-year-old son of Vronsky picked up his 13th career win from 25 starts and earnings of more than $592,000. The win in the Bill Thomas Memorial Stakes snapped a four-race losing streak dating back to a June 22 win in the Budweiser Stakes at Emerald Downs.
Sent off at odds of 3.70-to-1, Clovisconnection paid back $9.40 to his winning backers. The $2 exacta with Neiman, also trained by Evans, returned $37.20. Post time favorite Ryvit weakened late to finish third with Katonah rounding out the top four finishers.
Marka springs upset score in $100,000 Peppers Pride Stakes
Marka, one of five starters in the 16th running of the $100,000 Peppers Pride Stakes for trainer Todd Fincher, scored a convincing upset win under jockey Cristian Torres in the one-mile event for New Mexico-bred 3-year-old fillies.
Owned and bred by Robert M. and Del Rae Driggers and Ben Lee Ivey, Marka raced behind a moderate pace down the backstretch before launching her bid midway around the far turn. The daughter of Marking quickly took command at the furlong pole and won by 4 1-2 lengths, stopping the clock in 1 minute, 38.72 seconds.
Marka came into the Peppers Pride Stakes as a maiden after her two prior starts. Her win puts her lifetime earnings at more than $63,000.
Fincher, one of the top thoroughbred trainers this season, recorded his fourth stakes winner of the current meet.
Sent off at odds more than 11-to-1, Marka paid back $25.40 to win. The $2 exacta with Unwound returned $468.40. Holy Miss finished third with I Am Paula Revere rounding out the top four finishers.
Desert Following was an early scratch from the Peppers Pride Stakes, leaving the race with a field of nine starters.
Buy Local pulls clear late in $100,000 Red Hedeman Mile
Buy Local pulled clear in the final furlong under jockey Christian Ramos to score a minor upset win in the 23rd edition of the $100,000 Red Hedeman Mile.
Buy Local, one of four starters in the Red Hedeman Mile for trainer Todd Fincher, dueled for the lead down the backstretch around the far turn. Post time favorite Speed Merchant, who was away slowly, made a dangerous middle move and ranged up to battle for the lead entering the lane. Ramos found something more under Buy Local, who got to the wire three lengths ahead of the field in a time of 1 minute, 38.32 seconds for the mile distance on a fast track.
The 3-year-old New Mexico-bred son of Sporting Chance is owned by J. Kirk and Judy Robison and has now won twice from eight career starts with earnings of more than $141,000. He was third in each of his last three starts after having broken his maiden last November at Zia Park.
Sent off at odds of 6.30-to-1, Buy Local paid back $14.60 to win. The Fincher-trained exacta with runnerup Speed Merchant returned $24.60. Cash Waterfall was third with MG Rojo Loco rounding out the top four finishers.
Flash of Valor was an early scratch from the Red Hedeman Mile, which was contested with a field of eight starters.
Aye Candy proves much the best in $100,000 Harry Henson Stakes
Aye Candy snuck through along the inside around the far turn under Christian Ramos on his way to a convincing score in the 32nd renewal of the $100,000 Harry Henson Stakes.
Racing midpack down the backstretch, Aye Candy rallied along the rail heading to the top of the lane and quickly found her way to the lead, drawing off to win by 2 1-2 lengths for trainer Todd Fincher, racing a mile in 1 minute, 36.48 seconds.
Owned by Peacock Family Racing Stable, LLC and bred in Kentucky by Joe R. Peacock, Jr., the 5-year-old mare by Candy Ride has now won four times from eight career starts including a pair of stakes at Sunland Park. Aye Candy won the Bold Ego Stakes over this course last month and has now earned more than $165,0000.
For Fincher, Aye Candy’s score in the Harry Henson Stakes is his third stakes winner on the afternoon.
Sent off at odds of 3.70-to-1, Aye Candy paid $9.40 to win. The $2 exacta with Corrina Corrina returned $28.40. Practical Dream settled for third with A Thousand Miles rounding out the top four finishers.
Live racing resumes on Monday at 12:25 p.m.
