I don’t think the winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby is coming out of any preps at Sunland Park. If not for Mine That Bird’s historic win in 2009, I would posit that no Derby winner will ever come out of Sunland Park. But upset victories like that are exactly why we need to pay attention. Long shots on the biggest stages have to come from somewhere, after all.
I’m actually a big fan of this race from a handicapping standpoint, and my logic is fairly straightforward. At less prestigious tracks like this one, I consider it unwise to accept obvious favorites. Obvious contenders at Sunland might be relatively talented, but they’re also there for a reason. There are no Secretariats in New Mexico. Let’s take a look.