Slow Down Andy battles in Sunland Park Derby; Cleopatras Charge stuns Sunland Oaks

Slow Down Andy was rebounding after a disappointing sixth in the Feb. 19 Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds. Representing the same Kentucky Derby-winning connections as his sire, Nyquist (2016) -- Reddam Racing, trainer Doug O’Neill, and jockey Mario Gutierrez – the homebred added blinkers at Sunland. 

The betting public kept enough faith in Slow Down Andy to dispatch him as the 6-5 favorite, forecasting a return to his Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) where he upstaged Messier. But Straight Up G, winner of the Mine That Bird Derby at this track, was also well backed as the 17-10 second choice.

The two hooked up early in a virtual match race. Straight Up G was narrowly in front through torrid fractions of :22.30 and :45.35. Slow Down Andy, on the inside, appeared to be traveling well within himself. Gutierrez took a confident look back when Slow Down Andy put Straight Up G away after six furlongs in 1:09.54, but he had to get busy as Bye Bye Bobby loomed to challenge swinging into the stretch.

Slow Down Andy appeared to idle a bit, and swished his tail as Gutierrez tried to communicate his urgency. Bye Bye Bobby, racing out in the center of the track, put his head in front. But Slow Down Andy responded to Gutierrez’s handling and battled back for a half-length decision. Slowing late after going fast early, he negotiated 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.16. There was an 8 1/2-length gap back to Pepper Spray in third.

With 50 points from Sunland, and his 10 from Los Alamitos, Slow Down Andy now advances to fourth on the Derby leaderboard with a total of 60. Bye Bye Bobby opened his account with 20 points, but neither he nor Pepper Spray (10 points) is a Triple Crown nominee. That can be rectified by Monday’s deadline for late nominations, if connections choose to make them eligible.

Fowler Blue, a half-length astern of Pepper Spray in fourth, picked up five points. Next came Chrome King, Costa Terra, and a tailed-off Straight Up G. Classic Moment was pulled up and vanned off.

Slow Down Andy’s scorecard now stands at 5-3-1-0, $544,850. Out of the Square Eddie mare Edwina E, the California-bred is a full brother to multiple stakes victor Team Merchants, who also won at Sunland on Sunday. The four-year-old kicked off the sibling double by romping in the 6 1/2-furlong Bill Thomas Memorial, likewise sporting blinkers. 

The preceding Sunland Park Oaks served up drama at the start and at the finish. Right out of the gate, Southern California shipper Queen of Thorns stumbled and unseated jockey Victor Espinoza, and the 9-5 chance went on to run the entire circuit riderless. Manorelli sped forward to set a fast pace and nearly held, only to have Cleopatras Charge come charging in deep stretch to spring a 79-1 upset. 

A homebred campaigned by Samuel Henderson, Cleopatras Charge was improving from a fifth in the local prep, the Feb. 27 Island Fashion S. That was her debut for trainer Gary Cross, who said she needed the race off a three-month layoff. The daughter of champion Will Take Charge had broken her maiden for a $25,000 tag at Remington Park Nov. 26 when trained by Scott Young. 

Cleopatras Charge was anchored well off the pace by jockey Jorge Carreno, as many as 15 lengths behind the frontrunning Manorelli. Miss Hard Knocks and 7-5 favorite Optionality chased, but couldn’t get close enough to challenge the daylight leader. 

When Manorelli began to shorten stride in deep stretch, Cleopatras Charge and fellow closer Ali Alley swamped her late. Cleopatras Charge prevailed by three-quarters of a length while finishing 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.33. Ali Alley headed Manorelli for second, and Tyler’s Dream rallied for fourth. Optionality tired to fifth, followed by Cali, Miss Hard Knocks, Landslid, and Pumpkin Bread. Queen of Thorns did not finish officially since she lost the rider.

The Sunland Oaks was worth points on the 50-20-10-5 scale, but third-placer Manorelli is the only one of the top four currently nominated to the Kentucky Oaks. 

Cleopatras Charge returned an eye-popping $161.40 and boosted her bankroll to $195,406 from a 6-2-0-0 line. Her dam, the Smart Strike mare Cleopatra’s Finest, is a half-sister to Canadian Hall of Famer Quiet Resolve. Cleopatra’s Finest is also a close relative of Canadian champion Eye of the Sphynx, dam of 2009 Queen’s Plate-winning champion Eye of the Leopard and ancestress of yet another Sovereign Award champion, Desert Ride, heroine of the 2019 Woodbine Oaks and Wonder Where S.