Stronghold Too Much for Rivals in Sunland Park Derby

February 18th, 2024 by Molly Rollins

Content provided by BloodHorse

Alotaluck Lucky Jeremy prep horse racing jockey trainer

Stronghold, ridden by Antonio Fresu, won the Sunland Park Derby Feb. 18 by 2 ½ lengths and earned 20 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby. (Eclipse Sportswire)

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.

Subscribe now!

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.