Wicked Indeed to Sunland Park for Mine That Bird Derby

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Wicked Indeed to Sunland Park for Mine That Bird Derby
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Photo: Coady Photography
Hustle Up, a winner of four stakes against other New Mexico-breds, will try open company in the Mine That Bird Derby

Trainer Steve Asmussen will ship promising 3-year-old Wicked Indeed west for a stakes try in the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby on Sunday, Feb. 24 at Sunland Park.

Six of the nine sophomores entered in the 1 1/16-mile prep race for the March 24 $800,000 Sunland Derby (G3) made their previous start at Sunland. While the Mine That Bird Derby is not a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race, the Sunland Derby awards Kentucky Derby points to the top four finishers (50-20-10-5).

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Wicked Indeed will enter the Mine That Bird Derby off a fourth-place finish in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) Jan. 19 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, where the son of Tapit  has made his three career starts. Wicked Indeed, a 52-1 longshot in the Lecomte, finished 6 1/2 lengths behind War of Will in that one-mile and 70-yard test—his stakes debut. War of Will has gone on to win the Risen Star Stakes presented by Lamarque Ford (G2).

Last year Wicked Indeed won his maiden special weight debut going six furlongs Nov. 30 then closed out his juvenile campaign with a third-place finish in a Dec. 22 allowance-optional claiming race contested at one-mile and 70 yards.

Of the local horses, Dale F. Taylor Racing, Bobby McQueen and Suzanne Kirby's New Mexico-bred Hustle Up will try open company for the first time after piling up four stakes wins against state-breds from nine career starts. The son of Abstraction made his debut March 24, 2018 and has won seven of nine starts and earned $303,143.

The Mine That Bird is one of three stakes on Sunday's Sunland Park card. In the $75,000 Island Fashion Stakes, a one-mile prep race for the March 24 $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks, Asmussen ships in Winchell Thoroughbreds' Backflash, who finished fourth in last year's Trapeze Stakes at Remington Park; and WinStar Stablemates Racing's Blessings First, who enters off a runner-up finish in an allowance-optional claiming race Feb. 6 on the Sam Houston Race Park turf.

In the Curribot Handicap for 3-year-olds and older, last year's Sunland Derby winner Runaway Ghost will try to secure his second stakes win of the season in as many starts. The son of Ghostzapper  enters off a clear victory in the Ft. Bliss Stakes Feb. 2 at Sunland. Runaway Ghost will be the 125-pound highweight in the 1 1/16-mile race.


Entries: Mine That Bird Derby

Sunland Park, Sunday, February 24, 2019, Race 9

  • STK
  • 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $100,000
  • 3 yo
  • 4:18 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Mc Awesome (KY) Elvin Gonzalez 121 Dick Cappellucci 6/1
2 2Thunderousapplause (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Ry Eikleberry 121 Casey T. Lambert 12/1
3 3Walker Stalker (NM) Alejandro Medellin 121 Jose R. Gonzalez, Jr. 12/1
4 4Pasamonte Man (NY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Ken S. Tohill 121 Joel H. Marr 15/1
5 5Hustle Up (NM) Shane Laviolette 121 Todd W. Fincher 3/1
6 6Eye Cloud (KY) Eddie Martin, Jr. 121 Tracy A. Norris 8/1
7 7One Flew South (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Heriberto Figueroa 121 Doug F. O'Neill 4/1
8 8Wicked Indeed (KY) Luis Contreras 121 Steven M. Asmussen 9/5
9 9Collusionist (CO) Frank Reyes 121 O. A. Martinez, Jr. 10/1




Entries: Curribot H.

Sunland Park, Sunday, February 24, 2019, Race 7

  • STK
  • 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $75,000
  • 3 yo's & up
  • 3:26 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Deputy's Echo (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Duane Lee Sterling 121 Nancy Summers 5/1
2 2Raagheb (KY) Roimes Chirinos 122 Justin R. Evans 5/2
3 3African Fighter (KY) Francisco Amparan 116 Carlos C. Gonzalez 15/1
4 4Pendleton (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Luis Contreras 120 Justin R. Evans 6/1
5 5American Dubai (VA)Keeneland Sales Graduate Ry Eikleberry 120 Rodney C. Richards 10/1
6 6Hereditary (KY) Eddie Martin, Jr. 121 Justin R. Evans 5/1
7 7Runaway Ghost (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Santiago Gonzalez 125 Todd W. Fincher 7/5




Entries: Island Fashion S.

Sunland Park, Sunday, February 24, 2019, Race 8

  • STK
  • 1m
  • Dirt
  • $75,000
  • 3 yo Fillies
  • 3:52 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Jamaican Cents (KY) Santiago Gonzalez 116 Todd W. Fincher 15/1
2 2Parade of Roses (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jansen Melancon 121 Nate Williams 4/1
3 3Victim of Love (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Ry Eikleberry 116 Henry Dominguez 12/1
4 4K P Slickem (VA) Roimes Chirinos 116 Weston Martin 5/1
5 5Backflash (KY) Luis Contreras 116 Steven M. Asmussen 8/5
6 6Blessings First (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Alfredo J. Juarez, Jr. 116 Steven M. Asmussen 4/1
7 7Figure (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Ken S. Tohill 116 Joel H. Marr 8/1
8 8D'tatway (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Elvin Gonzalez 116 Greg Green 15/1