Fresh off of hitting the exacta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Michelle Yu offers her best bets for the Sunland Park Derby 2025 in New Mexico
Fresh off of hitting the exacta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Michelle Yu offers her best bets for the Sunland Park Derby 2025 in New Mexico
Will a longshot cross the finish line first at the 2025 Sunland Derby on Sunday? It was just two years ago that Wild On Ice won this Kentucky Derby prep race after going off at 35-1 in the Sunland Derby odds. This year, there are two colts in the nine-horse 2025 Sunland Derby field who could repeat Wild On Ice’s success. Newcomer Spenard and the Robertino Diodoro-trained Itsmybirthday are both 20-1 in the 2025 Sunland Derby odds. Post time is 6:17 p.m. ET.
Bob Baffer-trained horse Getaway Car is the 9-5 morning line favorite in the Sunland Park Derby odds 2025, followed by Touchy (7-2), McKinzie Street (4-1), Caldera (5-1) and Take Charge Tom (8-1). With several unproven three-year-olds set to enter the starting gate on Sunday, you’ll want to see what racing reporter and insider Michelle Yu has to say before making any 2025 Sunland Park Derby picks.
Few people in racing are as well-connected as Yu. An on-air host and reporter who has provided racing analysis for TVG, HRTV and the Breeders’ Cup, Yu has spent a lifetime in racing. Prior to her television career, she worked for trainers Steve Asmussen and Ron Moquett. She also is married to Santa Anita-based trainer Ryan Hanson.
Yu also has tremendous handicapping chops. In a wide-open Kentucky Derby in 2021, she gave out Medina Spirit, who crossed the finish line first, as the winner at 12-1. In Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager two years ago, she suggested a play on All Other 3-Year-Olds, which cashed at a whopping 18-1 when Rich Strike won the Derby.
Last year, Yu correctly called National Treasure to win the Pegasus World Cup, predicted Stronghold’s upset win in the Santa Anita Derby and smashed the exacta in the Apple Blossom Handicap. On the Belmont Stakes undercard, she nailed National Treasure’s win in the Met Mile, and had the winner and exacta in the Woody Stephens Stakes. She closed out the year by hitting the exacta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Now, Yu has handicapped the 2025 Sunland Park Derby lineup, made her picks and constructed her best bets. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2025 Sunland Derby predictions
One surprise: Yu is fading Getaway Car, even though he is the 9-5 favorite in the Sunland Derby odds 2025. The expert acknowledges that this Baffert-trained colt is worthy of being the betting favorite because of his wealth of experience. That said, his more recent races have given her pause when it comes to backing him in this race.
Getaway Car finished second twice in his four races since starting his career with back-to-back first-place finishes. He has also finished fourth on two occasions including the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile. This son of Curlin has good speed, but Yu isn’t convinced he will lead the pack in a rout race. “He has lost enough races to keep me from putting all of my chips on him,” Yu told SportsLine. “He’s a deserved favorite, but I have some doubts.” You can see all of Yu’s 2025 Sunland Park Derby bets here.
How to make 2025 Sunland Park Derby picks
Instead, Yu is high on a contender who “has a leg up on the field” and is intrigued by a double-digit longshot who “has shown versatility from a pace standpoint.” She is including these horses in her 2025 Sunland Park Derby bets, and so should you. She’s sharing which horses to back at SportsLine.
So who wins the 2025 Sunland Park Derby? And how has Yu constructed her wagers? Visit SportsLine to see Yu’s picks for the Sunland Park Derby 2025, all from the Santa Anita-based racing insider who nailed last year’s Pegasus World Cup winner, and find out.
2025 Sunland Park Derby odds, contenders
| Horse | Odds | Picks |
| Itsmybirthday | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Remembering Big Jim | 12-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Smash It | 12-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Getaway Car | 9-5 | SEE PICKS |
| Spenard | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Take Charge Tom | 8-1 | SEE PICKS |
| McKinzie Street | 4-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Touchy | 7-2 | SEE PICKS |
| Caldera | 5-1 | SEE PICKS |