Reddam Racing's homebred Slow Down Andy retook Bye Bye Bobby's brief lead in the stretch and won Sunday's $500,000 Sunland Park Derby (G3) in New Mexico.
Ridden Mario Gutierrez for trainer Doug O'Neill, Slow Down Andy scored by a half-length from Bye Bye Bobby and covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.16 on a fast track.
The Sunland Park Derby awards Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying points to its top four finishers on a 50-20-10-5 basis
Updated Kentucky Derby/Oaks leaderboard
Slow Down Andy and Straight Up G dueled for the lead early through the opening quarter in a quick :22.30. Slow Down Andy edged ahead by three-quarters of a length as a half-mile went in :45.35 and held his advantage through six furlongs in 1:09.50.
Slow Down Andy extended his lead while drifting out a bit coming off the far turn but Bye Bye Bobby unfurled a game rally and got his head in front momentarily in early stretch while swinging five-wide. Slow Down Andy knuckled down when Gutierrez asked, reclaimed command, and got the win. Pepper Spray finished third, 8 1/2 lengths back.
Slow Down Andy returned $4. The California-bred Nyquist colt came into Sunday's race having finished a well-beaten sixth in the Risen Star Stakes (G2) Feb. 6 at Fair Grounds but ready to win Sunday.
Winner of the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) over Messier in December, Slow Down Andy, whose dam is the Square Eddie mare Edwina E, improved his career line to 3-1-0 from five starts.
Also on Sunday's card, Sam Henderson's homebred Cleopatra's Charge swooped from out of the clouds and won the $300,000 Sunland Park Oaks in a close finish with hard-charging runner-up Ali Alley.
Longtime pacesetter Manorelli led from the gate but ran out of steam as the finish line approached, failing to hold back the bold rallies of the winner and runner-up, finishing third
Cleopatra's Charge, by Will Take Charge, won by three-quarters of a length and finished 1 1/16 miles 1:46.33 on a fast track.
Queen of Thorns, the 9-5 second choice in the wagering, stumbled badly at the start and lost jockey Victor Espinoza, who walked off.
The Sunland Oaks awards Road to the Kentucky Oaks points on a 50-20-10-5 basis to the first four finishers.
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