MEDIA GUIDE 2019 – 2020 WELCOME TO THE NEWS MEDIA $120,000 New Mexico Breeders’ Derby help propel Sunland Park’s greatest day on March 22. All New Mexico-bred stakes races are worth at least $100,000 each. Leading trainers Justin Evans, Todd Fincher, Miguel Hernandez and Susan Arnett are absolutely loaded with powerful Thoroughbred barns for the upcoming season. The $100,000 Riley Allison Derby at one mile on Sunday, Jan. 26 and the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby at one and one- sixteenth miles on Sunday, Feb. 23 serve as the local prep races for the $700,000 Sunland Derby (Gr. III). Eric Alwan The $75,000 Island Fashion Stakes at one mile for three-year-old fillies on Sunday, Feb. 23 is the main lead in race for the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks at one and one-sixteenth miles. Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino begins the 61st live racing Lucrative open Thoroughbred stakes are abundant with the season on Thursday, December 26 and extends through Tuesday, $65,000 KLAQ Handicap on Saturday, Dec. 28, the $65,000 Bold April 21, 2020. Ego Handicap on Saturday, Jan. 4, the $75,000 Ft. Bliss Stakes on Saturday, Jan. 25, the $65,000 Borderplex Stakes on Sunday, The highly anticipated 68-day meet offers some of the most Jan. 26, the $65,000 Winsham Lad Handicap on Sunday, Feb. attractive races in the Southwest. The season is powered by the 9, the $75,000 Curribot Handicap on Sunday, March 15 and the $700,000 Sunland Derby (Gr. III) and a sparkling stakes schedule $75,000 Neon Desert Handicap on Saturday, April 18. worth $5 million filled with many $100,000 stakes races. On Saturday, April 18, the best older runners compete in the Over $1.5 million in purses will be on the line during Sunland $150,000 Sunland Park Handicap at one and one-eighth miles. Derby (Gr. III) day – Sunday, March 22, 2020. The 17th running 2018 Sunland Derby (Gr. III) winner Runaway Ghost won last of the $700,000 Sunland Derby (Gr. III) at one and one-eighth year’s edition. The $130,000-added Copper Top Futurity miles is the richest and most important race of the meet for happens on closing day, Tuesday, April 21. thee-year-olds seeking a berth in the 2020 Kentucky Derby. The Sunland Derby (Gr. III) winner receives 50 crucial qualifying A world class field of Quarter Horses is expected for the points for entry into the Kentucky Derby. 2017 Sunland Derby 19th running of the $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park (Gr. III) winner went on to win the Iowa Derby. Irap, fourth place (Gr. I) at 400 yards on Sunday, Dec. 29. Former World Champion. finisher in the 2017 Sunland Derby (Gr. III), went on to win the Jessies First Down won last year’s Championship. Blue Grass Stakes (Gr. II) at Keeneland, the Ohio Derby (Gr. III) and the Indiana Derby (Gr. III) and was third in the Grade 1 The $200,000 est. West Texas Derby will be run on Sunday, Travers Stakes at Saratoga. March 7. The $375,000 est. New Mexican Spring Futurity and the $275,000 est. West Texas Futurity will be run on Sunday, April 19. A new state record all-sources handle of over $4.8 million was set on the 2019 Sunland Derby (Gr. III) day card. The tally was Except for opening day Thursday, Dec. 26, live racing at Sunland the most ever bet on a single card in the history of New Mexico Park takes place on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday basis racing. A record crowd of 19,081 fans came out to cheer the 2015 through Tuesday, April 21, 2020. Post time to start the season is edition of the Sunland Derby (Gr. III) won by Firing Line. He 12:25 p.m. Nine races will be carded on weekdays. Ten races will would run second to eventual Triple Crown winner American be presented on Saturdays and Sundays. Please let me know Pharoah in the 2015 Kentucky Derby. Sunland Derby (Gr. III) how we may best serve your media needs. winners Cutting Humor (2019), Hence (2017), Chitu (2014), Governor Charlie (2013), Daddy Nose Best (2012) and Twice the Cheers, Appeal (2011) all ran in the Kentucky Derby. In 2009, Mine That Derby parlayed a fourth place finish in the Sunland Derby to a victory in the Kentucky Derby at 50-1 odds. In addition to the Sunland Derby (Gr. III), the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks, $100,000 Harry W. Henson Handicap, $100,000 Bill Thomas Memorial Stakes, $120,000 New Mexico State Eric Alwan University Stakes, $120,000 New Mexico Breeders’ Oaks and Track Announcer and Director of Publicity TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 The Area | The Property 3 Historical Highlights | Track Facts 4 Rick Baugh General Manager | Sunland Park & The Kentucky Derby 5 NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance 6-7 2018 – 2019 Stakes Schedule 8-9 Leading Thoroughbred Trainers 10-11 Leading Thoroughbred Jockeys 12 Sunland Park Handicap 13 Leading Owner 14 Harry W. Henson Handicap 15 Copper Top Futurity 16 Riley Allison Derby 17 The Mine That Bird Derby 18-19 Sunland Derby (GR III) 20-21 Sunland Park Oaks 22 Leading Quarter Horse Trainers 23 Leading Quarter Horse Jockeys 24 The Championship at Sunland Park (GR I) | Shue Fly Stakes 25 West Texas Futurity (GR II) 26 General Information 2019-2020 RACING CALENDAR DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 1 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 31 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 MARCH APRIL S M T W T F S S M T W T F S DECEMBER 26 – FEBRUARY 11 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 FIRST POST 12:25PM MST 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 FEBRUARY 14 – APRIL 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 FIRST POST 1:00PM MST 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 SUNLAND DERBY & OAKS 1 THE AREA THE PROPERTY CLIMATE It’s rare to have a day in summer or winter when the sun doesn’t Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino offers free general parking, or shine. In fact, it shines over 300 days a year! Winters are usually you may take advantage of our free courteous valet parking at both mild with an average daytime temperature of 60° F and an the Turf Club and Casino entrances. Our Turf Club is open through average low of 32.5° F. Occasionally, temperatures will drop the year for Simulcast Wagering. However, during our racing season, enough to see snow, but it never lasts long, just enough for kids all seating is reserved. Tables may be purchased for the season or and some young-at-heart adults to get excited about the unusual reserved on a daily basis. To reserve your seat or inquire about winter-wonderland scene covering the desert, mountains and Turf Club seating, call 575-874-5200. valley. Then, it’s gone as quickly as it came. The summers are hot and dry with a little less than 9 inches of rainfall each year. The HOTEL average temperature during the day is 95° F if you just count Our new boutique hotel is June, July and August. When you consider the five months of a unique reflection of the May through September that actually make up the summer, the local community and offers average daytime temperature drops to 91.5° F. It isn’t uncommon upscale accommodations. for the thermometer to drop 20 degrees or more during the Get ready for an exciting summer night. and memorable stay. LOCATION CASINO Situated on the border of two nations and three states, Our casino is open every day at 10AM with the hottest slots in the Sunland Park lies in the Chihuahuan Desert, 3,762 feet above Southwest. We offer free membership to our Players Club. Earn sea level. The Rio Grande River flows directly parallel to Bonus Play and entries to promotions while using your player’s card. the track, separating Texas from Mexico, and it creates a Our promotions will fill your pockets with extra cash. lush green valley ripe for farming and ranching. The area’s varied topography presents a scenic landscape and provides ENTERTAINMENT a pleasing contrast between arid desert, green valley and There’s always something happening here. From festivals to rugged mountains. concerts, the fun never ends! Catch live music in Franklin’s Lounge every Friday, Saturday and Sunday featuring all the best acts from TIME ZONE the past and present. El Paso and Sunland Park are in the Mountain Time Zone and observe Daylight Saving Time from mid-March DINING through October. We offer four different dining options to satisfy your hunger. Ventanas Bar & Grill serves everything from the best burgers POPULATION in the region to brick oven-baked pizza, all at an affordable El Paso is the sixth largest city in the state of Texas, with 649,121 price.