2025 Sunland Derby Preview: Can Tom Take Charge?

A field of nine three-year-olds line up in the 2025 edition of the $400,000 Sunland Derby with the Bob Baffert trained Getaway Car the 9-5 morning line favorite.

The Sunland Derby is a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race with 20-10-6-4-2 points up for grabs to the top five finishers toward entry into the 2025 Run for the Roses.

Getaway Car makes his first start since getting run down in the Los Alamitos Derby (G2) on Dec. 14. Baffert has won the Sunland Derby twice, but not since he saddled Chitu in 2014.

The Sunland Derby is one of six stakes on an outstanding card. Among the other stakes is the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks which drew a field of seven fillies. The race is a Road to the Kentucky Oaks points race.

Baffert saddles the 9-5 morning line favorite Maysam. The filly was an impressive maiden winner in her debut at Santa Anita, drawing off to win by six lengths.

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Sunland Derby 2M2P Stats

Let’s preview the 2025 Sunland Derby:

Sunland Park Race 9 The Sunland Derby Post time 4:17 MT

6 Take Charge Tom 8-1

7 McKinzie Street 4-1

4 Getaway Car 9-5

3 Smash It 12-1

Take Charge Tom

This colt is one of two here sent out by the Diodoro barn. The colt is perfect in three starts, his first two coming at Turf Paradise. He beat a really weak field breaking his maiden in his debut, then won the Lost in the Fog Juvenile two back going 6 ½ furlongs. Most of the runners he beat in that victory have come back to run better next out.

Last out he pressed the early pace and then drew off in the stretch to win the one-mile Riley Allison Derby over the main track here. There is plenty of early zip signed up in this race and this colt looks capable of sitting just off the pace and getting first crack turning for home. Decent value if he goes off near his 8-1 morning line.

McKinzie Street

The colt ships in from SoCal and lands with the Evans barn that is 28% winners with newcomers to the barn. Under Yakteem this guy showed some promise with a second in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) last September in his first start against winners. He beat Citizen Bull by four lengths that day.

Last out he dueled for the early lead and faded to finish a well beaten fifth in the San Vicente (G2) going seven furlongs. He is better than he showed but has to make up nearly six lengths off his third behind Citizen Bull and Getaway Car in the two turn American Pharoah. I like the barn switch here and he figures to bounce back with a better effort.

Getaway Car

The Baffert trainee set the early fractions and was no match for Journalism last out in the Los Al Futurity (G2). The winner has not come back to race yet, pointed toward the San Felipe (G2) on March 1.

The son of Curlin was a $700,000 purchase and is going to have plenty of company up front and figures to get too much attention on the tote in this spot. Seems like a vulnerable favorite so we will try and beat him for the top spot.