Big names eye Sunland Derby

Trainers Steve Asmussen, D. Wayne Lukas, and Todd Pletcher are all pointing horses to the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby on March 25. The race is the richest of the Sunland Park meet and will anchor a program of seven stakes, including the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks.

The card will be drawn Wednesday.

The Sunland Derby, at 1 1/8 miles, is a Kentucky Derby qualifier, with the first four finishers earning points on a scale of 50-20-10-5.

Asmussen said New York Central and Dream Baby Dream are both being pointed to the Sunland Derby. New York Central was a neck winner of a first-level allowance route Feb. 19 at Oaklawn. Dream Baby Dream was third in the same race. The horses worked in company Monday at Oaklawn, going five-eighths together in 1:01.

Pletcher said plans are to run Prince Lucky and Hyndford in the Sunland Derby.

“Hyndford was second to Magnum Moon last time in an allowance at Tampa,” Pletcher said. Magnum Moon was to run Saturday at Oaklawn in the Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel Stakes.

Prince Lucky won last year’s $120,000 Pennsylvania Nursery at Parx Racing.

Lukas said Kentucky Club is on deck for the Sunland Derby. He said Luis Contreras will ride the horse, who was a maiden winner in January at Oaklawn.

Sunland officials said the race could also draw All Out Blitz, Dark Vader, and Runaway Ghost.

Honeybee’s 1-2-3 to Fantasy

Cosmic Burst, Amy’s Challenge, and Sassy Sienna – the first three finishers in the Grade 3, $200,000 Honeybee on March 10 at Oaklawn – are all bound for the Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy on April 13 at Oaklawn.

Cosmic Burst picked up 50 points for the Kentucky Oaks with her win in the Honeybee. She won by 1 3/4 lengths over Amy’s Challenge, a multiple stakes winner who was making her two-turn debut. Cosmic Burst earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 84.

“Considering the quality of the competition in the race, I was very pleased, very excited, with the way she ran,” said Donnie Von Hemel, who trains Cosmic Burst for Norma Lee Stockseth and Todd Dunn. “There were several stakes winners in there.

“Going forward, I think the Fantasy is the main thing we want to concentrate on now. Stockseth and Dunn, they have been coming to Oaklawn for a lot of years. It was exciting to win a graded stakes race here, the Honeybee, and I think it would mean a lot to them to be able to run in, and possibly win, the Fantasy.”

Trained by Mac Robertson, Amy’s Challenge had won her three career starts going into the Honeybee, including a stakes over males.

Sassy Sienna was a 9 1/2length allowance winner in January at Oaklawn before running second in the track’s $125,000 Martha Washington in February, then third in the Honeybee.

“She came out of the Honeybee in great shape and we feel like she earned the opportunity to take that next step to the Fantasy,” trainer Brad Cox said.

Stakes for Exclamation Point

Exclamation Point, the undefeated half-brother to champion Classic Empire, has a couple of stakes options for his next start, trainer Brad Cox said Wednesday.

Cox said Exclamation Point could run next in either the Grade 3, $200,000 Lexington on April 14 at Keeneland or the $150,000 Northern Spur the same day at Oaklawn.

“We won’t have any decisions until April,” Cox said.

Exclamation Point won his debut Feb. 3 at Oaklawn, winning a maiden special weight sprint. He made the move to two turns March 3 and won a first-level allowance at a mile at Oaklawn.

“He’s doing really well, came out of the race in really good shape,” Cox said.

Exclamation Point races for Steven Nicholson, Brandi Nicholson, and Flurry Racing Stables.

Rematch in Oaklawn Handicap?

Goats Town and Colonelsdarktemper ran first and second in an allowance March 11 at Oaklawn, and could meet again in the Grade 2, $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap on April 14.

Goats Town earned a careerhigh Beyer Speed Figure of 97 for his 4 3/4-length win in the allowance. He covered the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.60. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Goats Town is being considered for the Oaklawn Handicap.

“I loved his race,” Lukas said. “Every once in a while you get a horse that just puts it all together on a given day and he certainly did that. It was a huge move forward for him.”

Goats Town is a son of Dublin who races for his breeder, Calumet Farm.

Trainer Jinks Fires said he was pleased with the effort from Colonnelsdarktemper, who was making his first start since September, and that he is probable for the Oaklawn Handicap. Last year the horse won the Grade 2 West Virginia Derby for owner A.J. Foyt Jr.

◗ Best of Greeley was a sharp allowance sprint winner March 1 at Oaklawn, and is being considered for the $150,000 Bachelor at Oaklawn, said trainer Gary Thomas. The six-furlong race for 3-yearolds is April 12. Best of Greeley earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 81 on March 1.