Stronghold Too Much for Rivals in Sunland Park Derby
After finishing second in two consecutive graded stakes, Stronghold broke through by defeating his rivals in a commanding performance in the $400,000 Sunland Park Derby Feb. 18 at Sunland Park.
Stronghold, a homebred for Eric and Sharon Waller, not only aced his first test outside of California but lowered the Sunland Park Derby stakes record to 1:42.64 for 1 1/16 miles in the process. He picked up 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, increasing his total to 25 on the Derby points leaderboard.
A game runner-up to Wynstock last time out in the Los Alamitos Futurity, Stronghold dueled with local hero Lucky Jeremy through a first quarter in :23.69 and a half-mile in :47.45. Putting a head in front at the three-quarter marker, Stronghold then declared his dominance, kicking clear in the stretch despite a valiant effort from Lucky Jeremy for a 2 ½-length tally.
Alotaluck, third for nearly the entire race, edged Lucky Jeremy for second.
The 1.20-1 betting favorite, Stronghold was ridden by Antonio Fresu.
“It’s only his second race going long, he’s still learning but hopefully this race should do him a load of good,” trainer Phil D’Amato said of Stronghold.
D’Amato said that Stronghold would have one more prep that would “hopefully lead us to the Kentucky Derby.”
A 3-year-old son of Ghostzapper, Stronghold improved his record to 2-3-0 from 5 starts and earnings of $377,200.
