Conveyance faces eight in Sunland Derby

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Sunland Park, NM (Sports Network) - Southwest Stakes winner Conveyance tops a field of nine for Sunday's $800,000 Sunland Derby at Sunland Park. This year for the first time earnings from the race will count toward entry into the Kentucky Derby.

The 2009 edition was won by Kelly Leak. However, fourth-place finisher Mine That Bird went on to win the Kentucky Derby as a 50-1 longshot.

Owned by Zabeel Racing and trained by Bob Baffert, Conveyance earned $150,000 with the Southwest win and has career earnings of $254,400. The three-year-old has drawn post three with Martin Garcia coming in to ride.

The gray colt also captured the San Rafael Stakes in January at Santa Anita. Conveyance is undefeated in his four lifetime starts.

Storming Saint, who won Sunland's $100,000 Borderland Derby through disqualification, is the top local horse in the race. The chestnut colt will start from the inside post with Luis Contreras riding.

"Storming Saint is a really talented horse, but a bit of a troublemaker," trainer Henry Dominguez said after the Borderland Derby. "He's a really good colt."

Owned by Lathrop Hoffman, Storming Saint was third in the Riley Allison Futurity last December at Sunland, and is the winner of two of five career starts for $91,770.

Here is the complete field for the Sunland Derby in post position order: Storming Saint, Luis Contreras; Nacho Friend, Joe Bravo; Conveyance, Martin Garcia; McKenna's Justice, Ken Tohill; Endorsement, Robby Albarado; Classical Slew, Tyler Baze; Fog Alert, Alfredo Juarez, Jr; Guiltbyassociation, Isaias Enriquez and Tempted to Tapit, David Cohen.

All horses will carry 122 pounds.

Post-time for the Sunland Derby is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. (et).