2011 Sunland Derby Horse Racing Picks

Written by Jake Thompson
Sunday, 27 March 2011 19:32

Horse racing picks are ready in the 2011 Sunland Derby.

The 2011 Sunland Derby is run today and we’ll go over the entries and try to make horse racing picks on the winner.  Astrology leads the list of horses entered in the 2011 Sunland Derby at Sunland Park, and we’ll let you know if the 5/2 favorite is the bet to make with your horse racing picks today.  Post time of the Sunland Derby is set for 7:46 PM ET and there are 11 horses set to run 9 furlongs on dirt.  Although the Sunland Derby hasn’t historically been a race that thrusts the winner into Kentucky Derby contention, it is worth noting that 2005 winner Thor’s Echo went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.  You never know what will happen in the horse racing world and we’ll do our best to tell you if one of this years’ entries is likely to become the next big star.

Sunland Derby Post Positions and Lines:

1 – Ruler On Ice, 8/1

2 – R Skydiver, 12/1

3 – Fusa Code, 8/1

4 – It’s My Party, 12/1

5 – Behold De Buy, 12/1

6 – Supreme Ruler, 20/1

7 – Sinai, 6/1

8 – Nacho Saint, 7/2

9 – Twice The Appeal, 15/1

10 – Beer Meister, 15/1

11 – Astrology, 5/2

Astrology is the rightful favorite after claiming a win in the Iroquois Stakes before finishing 2nd to a Kentucky Derby contender in Santiva during the Kentucky Jockey Club last time out.  This horse will have no trouble with the distance and it would take an absolutely horrible trip for Astrology to finish outside the top 3 today.

Sinai appears to be the most likely to pull off the upset and there are questions that will be answered today in regards to this horse.  He’s been in there with tougher competition than the other Sunland Derby entries, but he’s also never finished better than 3rd on dirt while having never gone further than 7 furlongs.  All signs in the pedigree point toward the distance and the dirt not being a problem, and I’m expecting a big effort from Sinai in the Sunland Derby.

The third horse I’ll use to round out my Sunland Derby trifecta is Fusa Code at 8/1 odds.  He’s been unsuccessful in 4 attempts to break his maiden but I like the fact that all of his career races have been on dirt at a mile or longer.  I’m not sure if he’ll take enough of a jump to take the outright Sunland Derby victory, but the son of Fusaichi Pegasus is a solid runner a great bet to make the board.

Although Astrology is the most accomplished horse in the 2011 Sunland Derby field, my horse racing picks will be on Sinai because of the potential and the larger payout.  I see the race coming down to the wire and for Sinai’s pedigree for the longer distance giving him the extra edge to just get by Astrology before the wire.