Don’t underrate Sunland, Turfway stakes as quality Derby preps

To the uninitiated, the $800,000 Sunland Derby and the $500,000 Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes might seem like rich speed bumps on the road to the Kentucky Derby. But don't let the outposts of Sunland Park in New Mexico and Turfway Park in Kentucky fool you.

These races produced two of the past three Kentucky Derby winners. Mine That Bird (2009) exited Sunland, and Animal Kingdom (2011) was a Turfway graduate.

These stakes races tend to attract late bloomers and less experienced colts looking to avoid the heavyweights that dominate other preps such as the Blue Grass Stakes, Florida Derby, Santa Anita Derby and Wood Memorial. This year is no exception.

On Sunday, the Sunland Derby appears stronger, based upon the likes of Southwest Stakes winner Castaway and Daddy Nose Best, first in the El Camino Real Derby.

Of the local New Mexico horses, only Isn't He Clever looks fast enough to compete with the California invaders.

My choice in the Sunland Derby is the Bob Baffert-trained Castaway, who drew the rail post. His past two races on dirt at Oaklawn and Santa Anita show a horse improving at the right time.

The Spiral is a much trickier race. California imports Handsome Mike and Russian Greek have the most quality stakes experience. But horses with a strong race over the Turfway synthetic surface, such as Mr. Prankster and Ill Conceived, might hold an edge.

The two horses I will key on are Heavy Breathing from trainer Todd Pletcher and Went the Day Well from trainer Graham Motion. Heavy Breathing has won both of his starts by wide margins and attracts Javier Castellano to ride. Went the Day Well is a stablemate of Animal Kingdom, and owner Team Valor is hoping history repeats itself.

■ PETA BASHING -- If you care about the welfare of all animals, including horses, don't donate to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

A reader suggested I go to the activistcash.com website, which researches tax-exempt nonprofit organizations. According to its research of public records filed with the Virginia Department of Agriculture -- PETA is based in Norfolk, Va. -- PETA kills 95 percent of the stray animals that it takes in. Most are put down within 24 to 48 hours after being taken in. Just 1 percent of its annual $37 million budget is used for sheltering and finding new homes for adoptive animals.

PETA played a large role in the cancellation of the HBO series "Luck." It appears what PETA says and what it does are not the same.

■ CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE ORLEANS -- If you like playing in big-money handicapping tournaments, sign up for the three-day Championship at The Orleans, which begins Thursday. Entry fee is $500. The top five finishers will win a free entry into the 2013 Horseplayer World Series.

Richard Eng's horse racing column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He can be reached at rich_eng@hotmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick.