How to bet the Riley Allison Derby

A competitive field of nine will travel one mile on the Sunland Park main strip in Sunday’s $100,000 Riley Allison Derby. I’ll look inside for my top two picks in the event.

Riley Allison Wagers

• $20 win #1 Truly Unbelievable ($20)
• $5 trifecta 1,2 with 1,2 with 4,8 ($20)

#1 Truly Unbelievable (9-2) debuted at Remington Park on Sept. 18 and was a fine winner in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint on the dirt, drawing clear by a widening 8 3/4 lengths. Moved to the lawn second time out by conditioner Robertino Diodoro, the Vekoma colt led late, only to be run down at the finish in a strong performance. In his latest outing, the $120,000 juvenile purchase was empty late in the Zia Park Juvenile S., but he has worked well in the interim, and I expect him to take a big step forward in his three-year-old bow. 

The Kentucky-bred is cut out to handle the move to eight furlongs, and his first two efforts suggest that he will thrive at the distance on Sunday. Well drawn on the rail, the chestnut will likely tuck in behind the speed prior to making his move at the top of the stretch with Orlando Mojica taking the reins. 

Steve Asmussen’s #2 Way Beyond (5-2) has squared off with stakes foes in a pair of races in succession and gets a measure of class relief in this endeavor. The dark bay son of Twirling Candy was never a factor when fifth in the deep Springboard Mile last time, but it wasn’t a poor showing while facing much better than this, and he rates a big chance with a step in the right direction while making his first run at this venue. 

The Kentucky-bred is cut out to run long and has been consistent to this point, but if the addition of blinkers aids him, then he will be a menacing figure in the feature with Keith Asmussen coming in to ride. 

#8 Daneyko (5-1) graduated at 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf and rallied to be a close second in the Lost in the Fog Juvenile S. at Turf Paradise in his last pair of assignments. Kentucky-bred son of Vekoma earned a solid 90 Brisnet Late Pace rating sprinting last time, which hints that he might show more with the added distance in this spot. 

The Justin Evans-trained #4 Forty Seven (10-1), fourth in the Lost in the Fog S. last time, will have blinkers back on and has the right running style to endure the voyage on the move to eight furlongs in the tilt. Regular rider Luis Valenzuela will retain the ride.