Sunland Derby 2015: Post Time, Post Positions, Contenders Odds and Schedule

With horse racing's Triple Crown season commencing in roughly six weeks, all eyes are on the prep races leading up to the Kentucky Derby.  Most of the Derby's top contenders will race their final tuneups in this time period, and the result of events like the Arkansas Derby and Rebel Stakes figure to shape the odds headed into Churchill Downs.

Having originated in 2003, the Sunland Derby is one of the newest officially recognized Derby prep races.  Nevertheless, that hasn't stopped top contenders like Firing Line and Lord Nelson from entering the field.  With 50 points given to the winner, Sunday's victor is essentially guaranteed a starting gate for the Triple Crown's first leg.

So who in the eight-horse field should fans keep their eye on?  Taking a look at the post positions, race information and odds, here's a look at the horses likeliest to emerge victorious at Sunland Park.

Sunland Derby Info

Post Time: Sunday, March 22, at 7:45 p.m. ET

Where: Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino at Sunland Park, New Mexico

Watch: HRTV or TVG Network 

Post	Horse	Odds
1	Firing Line	8-5
2	Where's the Moon	6-1
3	Why Two	8-1
4	Malibu Mogul	15-1
5	Tiznow R J	6-1
6	Pain and Misery	6-1
7	Dirt Monster	12-1

Horses To Watch

Firing Line

Simon Callaghan’s horse has finished a narrow second to top Derby contender Dortmund in each of his past two races at Los Alamitos on Dec. 20 and Santa Anita on Feb. 7. Fortunately for Firing Line, his Bob Baffert-trained nemesis won’t be in the Sunland field, leaving him as the race’s overwhelming favorite: 

Because of the small and relatively unproven field, Firing Line will still likely remain a secondary contender headed into Churchill Downs, assuming he does indeed qualify. Firing Line currently sits 26th in the Kentucky Derby points standings, which would leave him out of the field, so anything less than a victory would put his contention hopes in serious jeopardy.

One X-factor could be Firing Line’s rail starting position, which often makes for unpredictable breaks out of the gate. But oddsmakers largely ignored that ostensibly unfortunate draw because of Firing Line’s previous race, where he finished second despite drawing the rail. With Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens in the saddle for the second straight race, it’s unlikely that Firing Line will get sealed off in the tiny field.

There really are no more excuses for Callaghan’s horse, especially considering that just one other horse in the field has won a graded race. However, if Firing Line slips, that horse could re-emerge as the new favorite on Sunday.

Tiznow R J

If you’re looking for a total dark horse, no entry is a bigger enigma than Steve Asmussen’s colt. As Daily Racing Form’s Mary Rampellini illustrates, Tiznow R J has baffled Asmussen with two poor showings after a promising December win:

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Tiznow R J gave a glimpse of his potential in December, when he won a maiden special weight route by 13 1/4 lengths at his home track of Fair Grounds. He proceeded to run third in the Grade 3 Lecomte in his stakes debut in January but did not run back to those performances last month when prominent for much of the Grade 2 Risen Star before dropping back to finish seventh. 

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Consequently, Tiznow R J is changing his race-day footing in an attempt to rectify that disappointing seventh in what has been his only Grade 2 race to date. Coupled with the fact that he has never run a graded stakes race outside of his home park of Fair Grounds, there are plenty of unknown factors driving up his odds.

Having been foaled by two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Tiznow, the bloodlines certainly indicate the potential for a rebound. The dominant maiden special weight win paid off that promise, and considering the long odds at Sunland, it’s worth taking a flier on the off chance that Tiznow R J experiences that elusive breakthrough.