Felix Chavez' Sunland Derby, Sunland Oaks selections
Sunland Derby and Sunland Oaks day at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino is always a fun day with several top notch horses and other quality stakes races to watch. Here is a look at my winners of the key races on Sunday and other horses to watch. The first of 11 races starts at 12:25 p.m., the first stakes race is in the third race and the Sunland Oaks and Sunland Derby are races No. 8 and No. 10. Both the Sunland Oaks and Sunland Derby are prep races for the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby respectively.
Sunland Derby
Henry Q is the pick to win the race and earn the 50 qualifying points to the Kentucky Derby. Henry Q came in from Santa Anita Park in California for the Mine That Bird Derby last month and romped to a near 15-length win. He was trained in California by Doug O'Neill but has since been in New Mexico under the watchful eye of New Mexico's best trainer and burgeoning star nationally, Todd Fincher. This horse is getting better with each race, has won two straight and the distance should not be a factor. He won on the lead in the last race and has shown he can win coming from behind.
How Did He Do That has experience at the Sunland track with a second-place finish in the Riley Allison Derby and I like him for second here. He will be a sentimental choice for some since his owners, Judy and Kirk Robison are from El Paso and trainer Steve Asmussen has ties to the track. This horse owns two wins and closed well in last race to finish second.
Hard To Figure ships in from California for legendary trainer Bob Baffert and will figure in the mix. I like him for third with talented jockey Flavien Prat aboard and he's coming off a nice second-place finish in Grade III stakes race in California.
Sunland Oaks
Flying Connection has all the talent to win this race for Fincher. She has won three of her last four, she won her last race by more than nine lengths at Sunland Park and gets veteran jockey, Alfredo Juarez, Jr. aboard.
Una Palabra is shipping in from Turf Paradise in Arizona and has never been worse than second in four starts. The great Harry Hernandez is the jockey and will be crucial to this horse's success. He has been her jockey in all four starts. Look for her to finish second.
Doinittheahardway ships in from California for Baffert and has shown good speed. If she runs like she did in her last start, a nine length win, she'll challenge Flying Connection. I like her for third in this spot.
Other horses, races to watch
The seventh race is the 6 1/2 furlong, Bill Thomas Memorial Stakes sprint and features a battle between Dean's List and Bye Bye Bobby. Dean's List comes in from Houston, but has run at elite tracks in Florida and New York for trainer Ray Ashford, Jr., and has finished first or second six times in seven stats. Bye Bye Bobby was second in the Sunland Derby last year and just won on March 14 at Sunland Park. I like Dean's List in a close one over Bye Bye Bobby.
The one mile Harry Henson Handicap features a strong nine horse field. California shipper Eda will figure prominently in this race having won five of seven starts. But the Baffert trainee has been off for more than a year but Prat gets the assignment aboard the 4-year-old filly and her speed could be the difference.
New Mexico-bred, 3-year-old filly Tiz a Journey has won both starts in impressive fashion for trainer Joel Marr and she looks to be much the best in the 1 1/16th miles New Mexico Breeders' Oaks.
El Paso jockey Luis Fuentes could have a big day in the other New Mexico-bred races. In the fifth race, he's aboard Cheese Tray in the mile and 70-yard New Mexico State University Stakes. Fuentes and Cheese Tray have already teamed up to win two stakes races at Sunland Park in the current meet and look for the tandem to make it three in a row.
In the seventh race, the 1 1/16th miles, New Mexico Breeders' Cup Derby, Fuentes looms large with Thruthestorm, who is another two-time winner with Fuentes aboard at the Sunland meet. Thruthestorm has run first or second six times in seven starts and is the one to beat here but must fend off a Still in the Trap, a horse who will certainly challenge Thruthestorm.
More: Sunland Derby field Hard To Figure is 2-1 morning-line favorite for Sunday's Sunland Derby
Felix. F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on Twitter
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Felix Chavez' picks for the Sunland Derby and Sunland Oaks
