Sunland Derby 2019: Odds and analysis for Sunday's race

Ten horses were entered for the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby, which offers Kentucky Derby 2019 points on a 50-20-10-5 scale to the first four finishers. Bob Baffert-trained Mucho Gusto leads the field and will meet El Camino Real Derby winner Anothertwistafate along with local New Mexico stakes winner Hustle Up.

The Sunland Derby is run as Race 11 of 12 on Sunday’s card. The 1 1/8-mile feature has an approximate post time of 7:30 p.m. ET. A look at the field with morning line odds is below:

1. Mucho Gusto, 8-5 (Mucho Macho Man – Bob Baffert/Joe Talamo – 4:3-1-0 – $234,000): Originally bound for the Rebel Stakes, Mucho Gusto’s plans changed when Game Winner and Improbable were rerouted to Arkansas. Mucho Gusto was beaten five lengths by Improbable in the Los Al Futurity (G1) but won his 3-year-old debut, skipping over the slop in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) over Gunmetal Gray. He showed he could rate in that effort, and could find himself off the pace in the Sunland Derby with a couple of speed-favoring horses in against him. The top choice.

2. Anothertwistafate, 3-1 (Scat Daddy – Blaine Wright/ – 4:3-0-0 – $94,545): The El Camino Real Derby winner – undefeated on Golden Gate’s all weather surface – gets his second dirt test here. He sprinted over Santa Anita’s main track first time out, took dirt and finished off the board. But that isn't Anothertwistafate's preferred style. In longer races, he has scored as a front-runner, last time out defeated Baffert-trained Kingly by seven lengths. This race should show if he likes the dirt enough to move on to Churchill Downs. Otherwise, there's a synthetic stakes connections will eye back home at Golden Gate Fields. Win contender.

3. Hustle Up, 5-1 (Abstraction – Todd Fincher/Juan Hernandez – 10:8-0-0 – $363,143): Fincher won last year’s Sunland Derby with Runaway Ghost, and he’ll try again with Hustle Up. The New Mexico-bred will aim for his fourth consecutive stakes score after leading every step of the Feb. 24 Mine That Bird Derby, in which he held off Wicked Indeed by a length. He’ll stretch out an extra sixteenth of a mile Sunday and will be another one looking for the lead. It's likely he isn't of the same qualify as Runaway Ghost, but he can get a piece of this purse. Board hitter.

4. Wicked Indeed, 6-1 (Tapit – Steve Asmussen/Luis Contreras – 4:1-1-1 – $57,330): Wicked Indeed is still looking for a breakthrough victory. He won on debut sprinting Nov. 30 at Fair Grounds and tried stakes company two starts later in the Jan. 13 Lecomte (G3). There, he broke from the rail and finished fourth. Dropping in class, he showed some nice late kick to be second in the Mine That Bird Derby when rallying from last. The setup could certainly aid him this time. Live longshot.

5. Cutting Humor, 8-1 (First Samurai – Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez – 5:1-2-1 – $56,167): Cutting Humor gets a second chance at the Derby trail after running seventh as the betting favorite in the Feb. 18 Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn Park. He broke his maiden third time out at Gulfstream Park West on Nov. 17, rallying while four to five wide at a mile. He was then chased home by Holy Bull (G2) runner-up Bourbon War in a two-turn optional claiming event on Jan. 18 at Gulfstream, where he was second by 2 1/4 lengths. Use underneath.

6. Walker Stalker, 15-1 (Stroll – Jose Gonzalez Jr./Alejandro Medellin – 3:1-1-1 – $25,720): A consistent Sunland runner, Walker Stalker broke his maiden at a mile on Feb. 9 as he held off a late-running Sunland Derby rival Pasamonte Man by half a length. He finished one spot ahead of Pasamonte Man again when third in the Mine That Bird Derby. His speed figures don’t measure up with those shipping in, but Walker Stalker appears to be one of the better local runners besides Hustle Up. Pretender.

7. Pasamonte Man, 20-1 (Strong Mandate – Joel Marr/Ken Tohill – 3:0-1-0 – $9,288): Pasamonte Man is still looking for his first career win but will likely have to run the race of his life for it to happen here. He was close to catching Walker Stalker in that previously mentioned maiden race but didn’t have a closing kick strong enough to hit the board in the Mine That Bird Derby. Toss.

8. Collusionist, 25-1 (Ez Effort – O. A. Martinez Jr./Alfredo Juarez Jr. – 5:2-1-0 – $45,751): The Colorado-bred hit the board in three starts sprinting at Arapahoe Park over the summer, including a win in the Silver Cup Futurity. He was away six months before returning at Turf Paradise, where he ducked at the start and finished last. He tried two turns in the Mine That Bird Derby and ran sixth. Toss.

9. Diamond Blitz, 15-1: (Munnings – Keith Desormeaux/Kent Desormeaux – 6:1-0-0 – $29,511): Diamond Blitz has experience on the dirt and turf. He broke through fourth time out in maiden claiming company going a mile on Santa Anita’s grass course and led every step. He followed that effort with two fourths in optional claiming, one on turf and one on the main track, after setting the pace. His last race on March 1 was won by Roadster with Nolo Contesto second. Use underneath.

10. Eye Cloud, 30-1 (Point of Entry – Tracy Norris/Isaias Enriquez – 8:2-0-1 – $43,050): Eye Cloud won on debut in a four-horse field at Evangeline Downs but was no factor in his next three races. He returned to the winner’s circle in a five-furlong optional claiming race at Delta Downs Dec. 13 and hit the board there going seven furlongs on Jan. 3. But he was off the board again in the local Riley Allison Derby and Mine That Bird Derby. Toss.

Summary: Mucho Gusto appears to be the class of the field and should be able to sit a comfortable trip while forwardly placed. With a few speed horses in here, Wicked Indeed stands to put in another strong effort off his runner-up finish and has experience over the Sunland track. Anothertwistafate is an interesting entry. Move him way up if you're expecting his synthetic form to hold up on the dirt.