$800,000 Sunland Derby (Gr. III) Preview

Three year olds racing one and one-eighth miles. First place is worth $400,000 in graded earnings. The Sunland Derby (Gr. III) day card will be an all Thoroughbred 13-race card. Over $1.5 million in purses will be in play on Sunday.

ASTROLOGY

Owner ? Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton.

Trainer ? Steve Asmussen.

Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-1, $152,893.

With a world class pedigree and human connections that won?t stop, Astrology was meant to be a good thing. The A.P. Indy colt out of the Quiet American mare Quiet Eclipse was favored in all five of his career starts at 2. The Steve Asmussen trainee won twice in 2010, highlighted by a Grade 3 victory in the Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs. At odds-on, he was beaten a short half-length by Santiva in the Grade 2 Kentucky Cup Juvenile. The classy colt has faced elite company and will be making his three-year-old debut in the Sunland Derby (Gr. III). Astrology brings an efficient stalking style to the races and is usually within a length of the lead at the half mile marker. Consequently, he has finished no worse than third in all five of his starts and earned nearly $153,000. Astrology has been working forwardly at Santa Anita since February. On March 1, he cruised through a 6 furlong drill in 1:12.3. Stonestreet Stables is owned by Jess Jackson, the owner of former Horses of the Year Curlin and Rachel Alexandra. Two-time Eclipse Award winning jockey Julien Leparoux will ride.

FUSA CODE

Owner ? Mary and Robert Zollars.

Trainer ? Steve Asmussen.

Lifetime Record: 5-1-1-1, $82,444.

Fusa Code broke his maiden in style with a driving win in the $100,000 Borderland Derby sponsored by Casa Ford at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino on February 26. The Santa Anita shipper trained by Steven Asmussen took a giant leap forward with his first career win and stamped himself a ticket to the $800,000 Sunland Derby (Gr. III). Well handled by jockey Justin Shepherd, Fusa Code remained in a beautiful stalking position through the early stages of the 1 and 1/16 mile event for three-year-olds. The gelded son of Fusaichi Pegasus rated kindly early and launched an aggressive run with three furlongs to go in the feature. He turned the tables on arch rival Special Kid. He was full of run and won by 3/4 lengths in a time of 1:45.06. Despite drifting in during the stretch run, Fusa Code raced clear under a powerful ride from Shepherd. Fusa Code avenged two prior defeats to Special Kid at Santa Anita Park. Shepherd said in the winner?s circle, ?He?s a very talented horse. Steve did a great job with him. He?s still a little green, maybe too talented for his own good. Once he got the lead, he tried waiting on them. He should like more distance.? Fusa Code picked up a $60,000 paycheck for owners Mary and Bob Zollars of Dallas , Texas . Mr. Zollars said, ?We would love to run him in the Sunland Derby. This was a great test for him.?

SINAI

Owner ? Zayat Stables, LLC.

Trainer ? Bob Baffert.

Lifetime Record: $35,472.

Sinai is speedy type from the Bob Baffert stable. He rattled through a debut maiden win at Hollywood Park last December and earned an 85 Beyer figure. Since then, he was stakes placed in the San Pedro and chased his phenomenal stable mate The Factor in the Grade 2 San Vicente. The Rockport Harbor colt packs an early punch and will receive mutuel support because of his excellent connections. Baffert has participated in seven of eight Sunland Derbies (Gr. III). He won this race in 2006 with Wanna Runner.

NACHO SAINT

Owner ? George and Lori Hall.

Trainer ? Kelly Breen.

Lifetime Record: 6-1-3-0, $102,300.

East coast trainer Kelly Breen brings a powerful charge to the Sunland Derby (Gr. IIII) in Nacho Saint. The hard trying son of Yes It?s True began his career at the incredibly tough Monmouth Part meet last summer. He ran second in two maiden races each worth over $73,000. In his second maiden race, he was charging fast and was unlucky to lose by only a neck. On July 25, 2010, Breen took his charge to Saratoga and his colt ran a big race in the Grade 2 Sanford. Once again, Nacho Saint gathers in momentum late and closed fast from sixth place to finish second beaten less than 2 lengths. At 3, Nacho Saint campaigned favorably at Aqueduct where he notched his maiden breaking win in wire to wire fashion. The versatile sort won by an expanding 4 lengths and was much the best. In his last out, Nacho Saint took on tough customers in the Grade 3 Gotham. He broke awkwardly but made a bold move along the rail in upper stretch. Unfortunately, he and jockey Joe Bravo ran out of racing room and finished a good fourth. Breen finished fourth in last year?s Sunland Derby (Gr. III) with Nacho Friend.

RULER ON ICE

Owner ? George and Lori Hall

Trainer ? Kelly Breen.

Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0, $60,500.

Ruler On Ice will be the second part of the Kelly Breen attack on the Sunland Derby (Gr. III). The son of Roman Ruler scored a fast closing allowance win at Philadelphia Park on Feb. 22 going 1 and 1/16 miles. The former Delaware Park maiden graduate posted a solid second in an allowance at Aqueduct prior to his Philadelphia effort. The gelding seems to relish route distances.

BEHOLD DE BUY

Owner ? Donna Eaton.

Trainer ? Joyce Salisbury.

Lifetime Record: 9-2-1-1, $93,378.

The locally based colt trained by Joyce Salisbury sprouted wings in the final furlong to gain a fast closing second in the $100,000 Borderland Derby sponsored by Casa Ford. Under a spirited ride from 5-time Sunland Park jockey champ Ken Tohill, Behold de Buy came within three parts of a length within Fusa Code. Last summer, the son of E Dubai won the $100,000 Gold Rush Futurity at Arapahoe Park with a vicious stretch running attack. With an affinity for the local surface, Behold de Buy does command a home court edge. Additionally, the one and one eighth mile distance of the $800,000 Sunland Derby (Gr. III) will serve him well. In the event of a hot pace, Behold de Buy could loom large at a solid price.

BEER MEISTER

Owner ? William Burns and Jim Egger

Trainer ? Manuel Ortiz, Sr.

Lifetime Record: 4-2-2-0, $39,620.

Dismissed at 40-1 odds, Beer Meister shocked his rivals with a last to first run in the Turf Paradise Derby. He swept past Indian Winter with a commanding move in upper stretch and was much the best on Feb. 26. The gelded son of Pleasant Tap could only get better with more distance. The diminutive runner appears long on heart. He is trained by Manuel Ortiz, Sr.

TWICE THE APPEAL

Owner ? Edward Brown, Victor Flores and Henry Hernandez.

Trainer ? Jeff Bonde.

Lifetime Record: $49,920.

Under the direction of California trainer Jeff Bonde, Twice The Appeal has won 2 races from 9 starts and likes to route. He ran second in the Turf Paradise Derby behind Beer Meister but was disqualified for interference and placed fourth. The Successful Appeal colt is trending upward and merits consideration.

SUPREME RULER

Owner ? Winquest Thoroughbreds

Trainer ? William Fires.

Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $29,400

This fast closing stretch runner hails from the William Fires barn. The Don?t Get Mad colt used that style effectively at Oaklawn Park this past winter. He broke his maiden in January with a ferocious late kick and was a game second against allowance company in February.

R Sky Diver from Henry Dominguez and It?s My Party from Chris Hartman complete the 11-horse lineup.