Sunland Park Racetrack Horse Racing Picks for Sunday, 2/16/25

Once a year, the road to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks heads to Sunland Park Racetrack in New Mexico for Sunland Derby day! That happens this Sunday, February 16. The track’s signature card is a ten-race affair, highlighted by five stakes races. The most notable races include the Sunland Derby and Sunland Park Oaks, a pair of points races, though the entire day features solid fields and the best Thoroughbred horse racing of the year in New Mexico.

Saturday is supposed to be a beautiful day in Sunland Park, New Mexico, with sunny skies and a temperature in the low 60s. However, make sure to check the weather program changes before the races to confirm the track condition and make sure horses you plan to play (or, horses who affect the pace for horses you plan to play!) haven’t been scratched for weather or other reasons.

Sunland Park Racetrack Picks

Race 3: $7,500 claiming, non-winners of three races, New Mexico-bred, six furlongs on dirt - Beau Vero

FanDuel odds: 9-2 and 4-1

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Beau Vero (9-2) struggled at Sunland earlier in his career, but figured it out in his last start February 6, tracking a few lengths off the pace and drawing off to win by 3 ½ lengths. That was against non-winners of two lifetime—but he was up for a $10,000 tag against open company. Now, he steps up in condition, but that move is offset both by a drop to a $7,500 tag and a move to a New Mexico-restricted company. Trainer Alberto Amparan is not only having a strong meet, but has been red-hot with runners third off the layoff, suggesting Beau Vero should be tuned to win right back.

Shug’s Rocket (4-1) cleared his non-winners of two conditions two starts back, then stretched out and stepped up in class for his first try at the non-three condition. He battled for most of it, though flattened out late to finish fourth, two lengths adrift. Now he drops back to the $7,500 tag, the same his connections claimed him for two back. The barn shines second off the claim, the cut back from 6 ½ furlongs to a flat six should help, and he has been able to win from a trip where he sits just off the pace, battles, and keeps on. That is a feasible trip in this spot.

Race 7: Sunland Park Oaks, one mile on dirt - Maysam, Runnin N Gunnin

FanDuel odds: 9-5 and 3-1

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Maysam (9-5) has raced just once for trainer Bob Baffert, but it was a good enough debut to test the waters on the Kentucky Oaks trail, especially in a prep that drew as modest as this one is. On debut, she handled the rail draw, disputed matters with other foes, and drew off to win by six lengths. With a few other horses in this field who have shown speed, both inside and outside her, that natural ability can come in handy again. And, though she stretches out to a mile for the first time, Baffert excels with those steps up in distance and her pedigree has distance in it, top and bottom.

If Maysam regresses or doesn’t take as well to two turns, Steve Asmussen trainee Runnin N Gunnin (3-1) appeals. She has been a bit hit-or-miss in her career, with two wins and three well-beaten, off-the-board finishes. But, both of those winning races have come over a two-turn, one-mile trip, just like she’ll get at Sunland Park. And, with a likely battle on the lead, it stands out that Runnin N Gunnin does her best work from a couple lengths off the pace: not far enough away to disadvantage her over an often speed-friendly Sunland strip, but also kind enough to keep her out of what might become a rollicking front end.

Race 9: Sunland Derby, 1 1/16 miles on dirt - Touchy, Take Charge Tom

FanDuel odds: 7-2 and 8-1

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With a ton of speed drawn into the Sunland Derby, a horse who can come from just off of it while letting those others do the dirty work should get the right pace setup. Enter Touchy (7-2). This Wesley Ward trainee set the pace on debut in the Tremont last year, but in each of his last three starts, he has sat a couple of lengths off the pace and made a run. The question is distance, as he has yet to go beyond 6 ½ furlongs. However, the son of Nyquist has an appealing pedigree top and bottom, and Wesley Ward is often ignored when stretching out horses for the first time despite a strong record when he chooses to do it.

There’s often a Sunland Park local who proves he can hang with the out-of-town shippers in the Sunland Derby. This time, Take Charge Tom (8-1) is the most likely candidate. He should be forward, as he was when he disputed the pace and ran on in the Riley Allison Derby, the one-mile local prep for the Sunland Derby. However, he has not only shown he can battle and run on, but even showed in his maiden special weight debut that he can stalk and pounce as well. He will need to take a step up, but in his fourth career start, he still has upside to do so, and he has shown enough ability to battle other speed to make him interesting even in a race with several other foes who can step on the gas.

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