SUNLAND PARK – A spot in the Kentucky Derby could be at stake Sunday at Sunland Park.

The Grade III, $800,000 Sunland Derby will feature Kentucky Derby-winning trainers Bob Baffert, Todd Pletcher and Doug O’Neill.

The winner of Sunday’s Sunland Derby will earn 50 points under the Derby’s new points system, which will go a long way toward earning a spot in the race at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.

	Sunday Sunland Derby: G3 stakes. 1â…› miles. 3-year-olds. Purse: $800,000 Post time: 5:40 p.m. 1 Just Win Baby A. Quinonez 10-1 2 Abraham J. Velazquez 4-1 3 Stormdriver R. Eikleberry 12-1 4 Shakin It Up D. Flores 5-2 5 Saint Prado R. Bejarano 8-1 6 Dry Summer C. Madeira 5-1 7 Governor Charlie M. Garcia 6-1 8 Mudflats E. Maldonado 6-1 9 Show Some Magic L. Contreras 8-1

Also Sunday is the $200,000 Sunland Oaks, featuring Baffert’s Midnight Lucky, a seven-length debut winner at Santa Anita on Feb. 17.

Last year, nearly $3.6 million was bet on Sunland Derby day’s 13-race card. That was the most wagered on a New Mexico card in state history. The day also drew a Sunland record 18,384 fans.

Here’s a look at the Sunland Derby field:

SHAKIN IT UP (5-2): The son of Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Midnite Lute won the San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita last month. Baffert and owner Mike Pegram teamed to win the 1998 Kentucky Derby and Preakness with Real Quiet.

ABRAHAM (4-1): The chestnut colt by Distorted Humor broke his maiden at Gulfstream Park at 1â…› miles for trainer Pletcher. This will be his third career start. Pletcher won the 2010 Kentucky Derby with Super Saver.

DRY SUMMER (5-1): Trainer Joel Marr, who saddled the celebrated filly Peppers Pride, handles this colt. Dry Summer won the 1 1/16-mile Mine That Bird Derby this year and the Oak Tree Juvenile on the turf at Del Mar last year.

MUDFLATS (6-1): O’Neill, who won the 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness with I’ll Have Another, trains this gelding. Mudflats was seventh in the Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct and fifth in the San Vicente.

GOVERNOR CHARLIE (6-1): This colt is also trained by Baffert, owned by Pegram and sired by Midnite Lute. In his last start, he broke his maiden going a mile in 1:36.28.

SAINT PRADO (8-1): Jeff Bonde, who trained 2011 Sunland Derby winner Twice the Appeal, trains this colt. Edwin Maldonado is coming in from the Southern California circuit to ride.

SHOW SOME MAGIC (8-1): The Riley Allison Futurity winner ran second in the Mine That Bird Derby for trainer Henry Dominguez.

JUST WIN BABY (10-1): The Florida-bred is shipping from Santa Anita where he broke his maiden in a 1 1/16-miles race last month.

STORMDRIVER (12-1): The colt was third in the Mine That Bird Derby and second in the Riley Allison Futurity.
Sunland Derby offers points toward Derby

— This article appeared on page D2 of the Albuquerque Journal