Sunland Park Derby 2024 Picks

By Jarrod Horak

The road to Kentucky Derby 2024 continues at Sunland Park on Sunday, February 18, and I have included Sunland Park Derby 2024 picks below. The Grade 3 event for 3-year-olds has a $400,000 purse and the eight entrants will be journeying 1 1/16 miles on the main track. The Sunland Derby is the 9th race on Feb. 18 and the top five finishers will earn Kentucky Derby points (20-10-6-4-2). 

Sunland Park Derby 2024 Picks & Final Time Ratings

Curlin’s Kaos fired trifecta shots in all four California-bred special weight starts. The Clubhouse Ride gelding stretched out, returned to turf, and rallied for the win at Santa Anita on Jan. 27. He is getting better and might not be out of this. 

Lucky Jeremy raced evenly in his dirt sprint debut at Churchill Downs last summer, and subsequent Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) hero Honor Marie won that race. He wired the field in the slop second time out, and shipped to Sunland Park and captured the Riley Allison Derby on Jan. 19. Christian Ramos sticks with Bill Morey’s early-pressing Lookin At Lucky colt. 

Stronghold fired exacta shots in all four starts. He chased the pace and was clearly second best in his dirt sprint bow at Ellis Park last summer, and graduated over Resilience and Track Phantom in a one-turn mile second time out. He was no match for Nysos in the Bob Hope (G3) at seven panels at Del Mar last fall, and chased the pace and settled for the place when last seen in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2). He scratched out of the Robert Lewis Stakes (G3) so he would not have to face Nysos again, and this is a winnable spot for Phil D’Amato’s Ghostzapper colt. Antonio Fresno keeps the faith and a stalking trip is expected. 

Informed Patriot broke his maiden as the favorite in an extended sprint at Churchill Downs second time out. He completed the trifecta in his last three starts and two of those were Kentucky Derby points races. He projects a stalking trip from the outside post for the productive Joel Rosario and Steve Amsussen team. 

The Sunland Derby field also includes No Trouble, Surroundedbyangels. Alotaluck, and Da Ringo.

Sunland Park Derby 2024 Picks

The Sunland Park Derby is my 21st video on the road to Kentucky Derby 2024, and my top choices have four wins, four runner-up finishes, and five show finishes. I will cover each points race on the Kentucky Derby trail. Check out my Sunland Park Derby 2024 picks video below.