A field of seven is entered for Sunday’s $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks, but this Kentucky Oaks (G1) prep should come down to a three-horse race – one trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, the other two by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen.
Maysam. Benoit Photo.
Maiden winner is the early Sunland Oaks faovrite
Let’s start with Baffert. He sends out Maysam, a daughter of Game Winner who won by six lengths in her debut on Jan. 24 at Santa Anita. Baffert’s top rider Juan Hernandez, who will also be aboard Getaway Car in the $400,000 Sunland Park Derby a few races later, replaces Edwin Maldanado.
Maysam is the 9-5 favorite leaving from post 4.
Asmussen is looking for a second straight Sunland Park Oaks win with Runnin N Gunnin (3-1) and Enchanting (7-2). He won last year with Recharge.
A daughter of Gun Runner, Runnin N Gunnin makes her sixth career start with a maiden win at Horseshoe Indianapolis at third asking and a 1-mile allowance win at Sam Houston Race Park on Jan. 19. The filly rallied in both victories.
Alfredo Juarez has the call on Runnin N Gunnin from post 2.
Enchanting, also a daughter of Gun Runner, broke her maiden last out, winning at second asking with an easy, three-length victory at Sam Houston on Jan. 19.
Ramon Vazquez rides from post 6.
The top five finishers in the 1-mile Sunland Park Oaks pick up 20-10-6-4-2 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points on a sliding scale.
The other four runners are local, but keep tabs on Rogue Justice (10-1), who will be ridden by Florent Geroux.
Post time for the Sunland Park Oaks is 5:13 p.m. ET.
For those who bet horse racing …
The picks: 1 Maysam 2 Rogue Justice 3 Runnin N Gunnin
The field for the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks, from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, odds:
1 Rogue Justice (Florent Geroux, Todd Fincher), 10-1
2 Runnin N Gunnin (Alfredo Juarez, Jr., Steve Asmussen), 3-1
3 Pink Pacific (Tracy Hebert, Gary Cross), 9-2
4 Maysam (Juan Hernandez, Bob Baffert), 9-5
5 Enchanting (Ramon Vazquez, Steve Asmussen), 7-2
6 Street Colors (Enrique Gomez, Luis Rojero), 15-1
7 Stubby (Edwin Gonzalez, Dick Cappellucci), 10-1