Just like 2013, Bob Baffert came into Sunland Park and won the signature race of the meet. Chitu (pronounced CHEE-TWO) won the Grade 3 Sunland Derby by 2 1/4 lengths over stablemate Midnight Hawk to earn $4000,000 and 50 points for his effort. Commissioner finished 3rd beaten 7 lengths after being pinched at the start and making up a lot of ground late in the race.
Chitu was ridden by Bob Baffert's go-to jockey Martin Garcia. He sat just off the pace set by Garen before taking over the lead entering the stretch. Midnight Hawk was right next to Chitu throughout the race and made a strong bid on the far turn. He held the lead briefly in the stretch before Chitu pulled away from him. Midnight Hawk weakened in the stretch, but was well ahead of the 3rd place finisher Commissioner who got pinched at the start of the race, raced near the back of the pack for most of the race, and made up ground in the stretch. Rebranded finished in 4th place to round out the Superfecta.
Chitu ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1 minute, 47 seconds, and 88 hundreths which was 0.34 seconds off the track record set by Govenor Charlie in 2013. Chitu went off as the 9-5 favorite and paid $5.80 to win, $3.20 to place, and $2.20 to show. Midnight Hawk went off at odds of 2 to 1 and paid $3.40 to place and $2.40 to show. Midnight Hawk is owned, in part, by former Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Mike Tice and current Chicago Blackhawks Head Coach Joel Quenneville. Commissioner, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, paid $3.00 to show after going off at odds of 7 to 2.
Chitu earned 50 points for the win towards a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate. Chitu currently has 54 points in total. Midnight Hawk earned 20 points for his 2nd place finish and has 52 points overall. Commissioner earned his first 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with his 3rd place finish. Rebranded also earned his first 5 points of the Derby Trail by finishing 4th.
A field of 9 went postward and the official order of finish was Chitu, Midnight Hawk, Commissioner, Rebranded, Bourbonize, Global Strike, Garen, Tanzanite Cat, and Lawly's Goal.