Bigger purses, new format among changes this season

Sunland Park launches its 68-date meet Thursday with a revamped racing format, an increase in purses, a new announcer, and third-party Lasix administration. The New Mexico track located right over the border from El Paso, Texas, will race through April 21.

The focal point of the mixed meet remains Sunland Derby Day on March 22. The Grade 3 headliner shares a card with the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks. Both races carry points for the spring classics, with the Sunland Derby awarding its winner 50 for the Kentucky Derby and the Sunland Park Oaks heroine earning the same amount for the Kentucky Oaks.

Following the Thursday opener, Sunland will race every Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday. The track will have a minimum of five Thoroughbred races each program in a format change, with Tuesday cards all Thoroughbreds. Last season, the Friday cards had been exclusive to Quarter Horses.

Dustin Dix, director of racing operations for Sunland, said the change was made to consistently offer horseplayers a daily late pick five on Thoroughbreds. The move also spreads out Quarter Horse racing over three cards each race week at Sunland.

In another schedule change, Dix said Sunland is returning to its traditional closing date of April 21 after experimenting with racing into May last season. The change means seven fewer dates this meet, and that has contributed to a bump in purses at the track, which has a casino with more than 700 slot machines.

Sunland averaged $200,000 per day in purses last meet, and this season the track projects that number will increase to more than $222,000. The boost will encompass New Mexicobred stakes being increased from $85,000 to $100,000. The exception is the statebred stakes on Sunland Derby Day, when those three races will each have a purse of $120,000.

The nine-furlong Sunland Derby – worth $700,000 this year after having a purse of $800,000 – is anchoring a card of seven stakes worth $1.5 million. Last season, Sunland handled more than $4.8 million on the all-Thoroughbred program to set a live handle record for New Mexico.

Sunland will lead the state in another area this meet. Dix said the track will institute thirdparty administration of the diuretic Lasix via a new house rule. The contract is with Dr. Alan Chastain, who will have veterinarians working under his direction. They are not allowed to practice at Sunland.

“We’re the first track to have third-party Lasix in New Mexico,” Dix said. “It starts opening day. It’s just another tool for the integrity of racing.”

In another first, Sunland publicity director Eric Alwan will take over at the mic from Woodbine voice Robert Gellar in a mutual decision between all parties, Dix said.

“This will be Eric’s 31st season at Sunland and first as announcer,” Dix said, noting Alwan calls races at other tracks in New Mexico.

Trainer Justin Evans, who has won six local titles the past seven meets, is back for the new season. Jockey Luis Contreras, who won last meet’s title, is expected to face a colony that includes such new faces as Francisco Arrieta, winner of the title at Canterbury Park.

The Grade 1, $350,000 Championship at Sunland will bring together a strong group of Quarter Horses on Sunday, Dec. 29. Other top races during the season include the $100,000 Riley Allison Derby on Jan. 26 and the $100,000 Mine That Bird on Feb. 23 – both preps for the Sunland Derby – and the $150,000 Sunland Park Handicap on April 18.

The start of the season at Sunland represents something of a return to normalcy for a close-knit community that has seen the offseason deaths of trainers Henry Dominguez and Bob Arnett as well as a mass shooting at a nearby Wal-Mart in El Paso. Sunland donated $100,000 to charities serving the needs of those impacted by the shooting in August.

First post at Sunland will be 12:25 p.m. Mountain daily until Feb. 14, when it shifts to 1 p.m. Mountain.