Getaway Car picked up 20 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby on Sunday when he came back along the rail to win by a nose over Caldera in the $400,000 Sunland Park Derby. It was another nine lengths back to Touchy in third.
The Sunland Park Derby anchored a program of five stakes that included the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks, which was won by Runnin N Gunnin ($13.80).
Getaway Car ($4.40) invaded from Southern California for the Sunland Derby for trainer Bob Baffert. The horse jumped out to the lead at the start of the 1 1/16-mile race, setting fractions of 23.31 seconds for the opening quarter, 46.93 for the half-mile, and 1:10.99 for six furlongs.
Caldera, who shipped in from Oaklawn for trainer D. Wayne Lukas, began dogging the leader coming to the quarter pole and put a head in front in the stretch. Caldera kept fighting to the wire, but Getaway Car came back to win in a photo in 1:42.64. Getaway Car earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure.
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“I just talked to Wayne Lukas,” Baffert said after the race Sunday. “I said, ‘We got to quit meeting like this.' I’m still trying to get even when he nailed me with Cavonnier.”
That was the 1996 Kentucky Derby, when Lukas trainee Grindstone won by a nose over Cavonnier.
The first five finishers in the Sunland Derby earned points for this year’s Kentucky Derby, with Caldera getting 10, Touchy earning 6, fourth-place finisher Take Charge Tom netting 4, and fifth-place finisher Itsmybirthday awarded 2 points.
“Wayne’s horse is a nice horse,” Baffert said. “They ran fast and Getaway Car showed up. That other horse is bigger than him. He dug in that little guy. He was really comfortable. You could tell down the backside he was happy. He was running happy. He was in a great rhythm the whole race.”
Baffert went on to compliment the ride from Juan Hernandez.
Getaway Car is a son of Curlin who races for the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, and Bashor.
Getaway Car won around two turns for the first time Sunday after running second to eventual champion Citizen Bull in the Grade 1 American Pharoah at Santa Anita, fourth to that one in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and second to Journalism in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 14.
Baffert said Getaway Car will have ample time to recover from the Sunland Derby before plans are made going forward.
“I’m just happy that he got it done,” he said. “It was a huge win. The horse is such a sweet little horse. He’s just got the greatest mind. He showed up today. He’s fun. He’s been a lot of fun.”
Handle on the Sunland Derby was $1,407,469, according to graphics posted on the simulcast feed. It was announced as sunny and 65 degrees and the track was fast. The apron area was packed on what was the premier card of the meet at Sunland.
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