Pletcher doubles up with Cutting Humor's Sunland Derby win

Todd Pletcher went into the weekend without a surefire shot at running in the 2019 Kentucky Derby, then locked in two horses in as many preps when Cutting Humor held off Anothertwistafate to win Sunday’s Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby.

Under jockey John Velazquez, the colt ranged through the turn three-wide, put pace-setting Mucho Gusto away at the top of the stretch and had just enough to top Anothertwistafate in a photo in New Mexico.

The final time for nine furlongs was a track record 1:46.94.

"Once I got to the quarter pole, I thought he was going pretty easy," winning jockey John Velazquez said after the neck victory. "Then I asked him, and as soon as he found himself on the lead, he started waiting. He idled pretty badly, and I'm thinking, 'Come on buddy. You've got to get your mind back on running.'

"I waited until the eighth pole, switched to left-handed, and he responded."

With Derby points paid out on a 50-20-10-5 scale to the Top 4 finishers, Cutting Humor is on to Churchill Downs should Pletcher and owner Starlight Racing decide that course. Starlight is also a co-owner of Grade 1 winner Improbable, who will complete his prepping in the April 16 Arkansas Derby.

Mucho Gusto ran third by six lengths after opening spits of 22.76, 45.63 and 1:09.63., pressed much of the way by local stakes winner Hustle Up. Wicked Indeed hit the wire fourth behind him.

Cutting Humor, the 2-1 shot, went favored but ran into a tough trip in his last start, the Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park. He adds to Pletcher-trained Spinoff, second in Saturday’s Louisiana Derby (G2), as likely Derby contenders for the barn.

On Sunday, Velazquez found a comfortable spot early with Cutting Humor, a bit wide, but in the clear, where they advanced from two-wide in fourth into the turn before making the winning move.

"He's a big horse, and I think the two turns helped him a lot," Velazquez said. "It was a fast pace today. He held in there pretty good. I guess that's a good experience."

By First Samurai, Cutting Humor was a $400,000 yearling purchase for Starlight, which also went on Justify's Triple Crown journey a year ago as a co-owner with WinStar Farm and China Horse Club, among other partners. The Sunland Derby victory marked Cutting Humor's second win in six career starts.