Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Runaway Ghost’s status on line
Runaway Ghost has established himself as the top 3-yearold at Sunland Park. To maintain that status he will have to defeat eight rivals, including invader Reride, on Sunday in the track’s $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby.
The Mine That Bird Derby, at 1 1/16 miles, is the final local stepping-stone to the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby on March 25. The race Sunday will share a card with the $75,000 Island Fashion, which serves as the local prep for the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks.
The Sunland Derby has been the objective for Runaway Ghost since he returned to New Mexico, where he received his early training, after starting his career in California. He won the $55,000 Golden Nugget in November at Golden Gate and, in his Sunland debut Jan. 28, was a 7 3/4-length winner of the $106,000 Riley Allison.
For the Sunland race, Runaway Ghost removed blinkers. He was prominent but was content to concede the lead early on before responding when called upon by jockey Tracy Hebert.
“He just did whatever the jockey asked him and that was a big relief to me,” trainer Todd Fincher said. “There looks to be a little more speed to this race coming up. Hopefully, he’ll sit right behind it, relax, and wait on the jockey for his cue to do his thing.”
Runaway Ghost earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 84 for his win in the Riley Allison, which is the best last-race number in the Mine That Bird Derby. The Riley Allison was at a mile, and the horse will be picking up more ground Sunday.
“We’re stretching out a sixteenth of a mile, and it doesn’t bother me a bit the way he ran last time,” Fincher said.
Runaway Ghost, a son of Ghostzapper and the multiple stakes-winning mare Rose’s Desert, races for breeder Joe Peacock.
Reride has invaded from Louisiana. He won the $60,000 Big Drama at Delta Downs in his last start Jan. 13. The sevenfurlong race was run around two turns, and he fought for a nose win and earned a careerhigh Beyer of 75.
“I just want him to keep winning,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He’s three for four in his life, and I sure would love to see him keep winning. He’s a nice, versatile horse. Hopefully, this is the right spot for him next.”
Reride is a son of Candy Ride who has won on dirt and turf and races for his breeder, Winchell Thoroughbreds. He will break from the rail under Alfredo Juarez Jr., while Runaway Ghost and Hebert will start from post 4 on Sunday.
Blamed will be seeking her fourth straight win when she starts in the Island Fashion, a mile race for 3-year-old fillies. It will be the two-turn debut for the daughter of Blame, and there are reasons to believe she will get the trip, trainer Joel Marr said.
“Her pedigree says she can, and she’s indicated she can in her training,” Marr said. “Obviously, we haven’t been able to [race] that far yet, but she’s galloped out well after her sprints and it appears to me that she would be one that would go two turns.”
Blamed started her streak in her second career out, when she won a maiden special weight Oct. 31 at Zia. She proceeded to win an allowance at the track in December before launching her 3-year-old season with a win in the $65,000 El Paso Times at 6 1/2 furlongs Jan. 28 at Sunland.
“Her last race was definitely the toughest horses she’s faced,” Marr said. “She made the lead and kind of stayed there and pulled away on the end. She did it convincingly, and we’re hoping that’s a sign of things to come.”
Ken Tohill has the mount on Blamed for Cleber Massey.
Laudation was second in the El Paso Times and Asmussen looks forward to giving her a second shot at two turns. In her lone start at the trip, she was sixth in the $100,000 Trapeze on Dec. 17 at Remington.
“She just showed way too much pace for the way the racetrack was playing,” Asmussen said.
Laudation was a maiden special weight winner in June at Churchill and became a stakes winner last fall with a victory in the $50,000 E.L. Gaylord at Remington. Juarez has the mount for Jerry Durant.