Sunkosi Is Set for Trial

Trainer Beau Greely has waited a year to get Sunkosi back around the tight turns at Fairplex. The circumstances are today’s $50,000 Derby Trial over a mile and a sixteenth, offering a rematch between last season’s Gateway to Glory hero Rainman’s Request and Sunkosi, the vanquished favorite that afternoon.

After posting a romping maiden decision while sprinting over this layout, Greely wheeled his colt back in the Gateway to Glory only eight days later and he was sent off as the 3-2 choice.

But it turned into Rainman’s Request’s day, however, as he set all the fractions under a clever ride and lit up the board at 30-1, with Sunkosi completing the exacta.

Both of these sophomores have done solid, if not spectacular, work in the interim, as Sunkosi had a nice allowance win at Hollywood Park and is coming out of two Del Mar turf stakes, and Rainman’s Request comes off a solid try at Del Mar in a $40,000 seller.

Last year’s stakes victory here by the latter performer was obviously not lost on trainer Pete Eurton, who put the claim tag in last time for clients Alesia, Bram Jam Stable and Ciaglia, and has given his charge five weeks off to get ready for a return to the site of his greatest triumph.

Another interesting member of the cast is National Park, who looked as if he was developing into something special for trainer Bob Hess Jr. in the spring, but has been a summer disappointment.

The picks: 1. Twilight Career 2. Steep Climb 3. Nicole’s Apollo 4. Davene 5. Larry’s First Lady 6. El Depressa 7. Native Vitality 8. Crazy Larrys 9. Sunkosi 10.Steamed

Post time: 12:30