By DRF.com
SUNLAND PARK, N.M. (Feb. 15, 2026) – Pavlovian nosed out fellow California-bred Express Kid at the end of a thrilling stretch duel to win Sunday’s $500,000 Sunland Park Derby and collect 20 Kentucky Derby points, with Express Kid adding 10 points to his total, now also 20.
Pavlovian is by Pavel, out of the Bellamy Road mare Mandy’s Grace, was bred by owner Reddam Racing and trained by Doug O’Neill. Reddam and O’Neill previously won the Kentucky Derby with I’ll Have Another and Nyquist.
He has two wins in nine starts, earnings of $416,450 and was coming off a third in the Jan. 17 California Chrome Cal Cup Derby.
The win was the fourth Sunland Park Derby training victory for O’Neill.
Pavlovian ($12.20) broke sharply and settled just off leader Express Kid, who set the pace after breaking from the rail. Express Kid was favored off a win in the Springboard Mile at Remington Park and proceeded to put up fractions of 23.07 seconds for the opening quarter, 46.40 for the half-mile and 1:10.07 for six furlongs.
Express Kid continued to lead the field into the stretch, as Pavlovian was encouraged to go after the leader by jockey Edwin Maldonado. The eventual winner was in a drive to the wire and covered the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in a quick 1:42.22.
Maldonado said in an interview broadcast by Sunland that Pavlovian raced closer to the pace than anticipated Sunday. The tactics used Sunday were “Plan B.”
“The plan was to come off the pace,” he said. “He broke super sharp today and I just had a split second to make up my mind and I said ‘Well, I think [Express Kid] is the horse to beat, so I might as well stay here.’ ”
Maldonado said Pavlovian is an improving horse right now.
“I think he has a lot of potential,” he said. “I think he’s just learning. He’s just getting to know what he’s supposed to do and he has a big future.”
O’Neill made the decision to put blinkers back on Pavlovian for the Sunland Derby.
“Edwin had worked him last week and he worked great,” O’Neill said of a six-furlong drill in which Pavlovian wore the equipment. “The horse has a lot of stamina. He’s still mentally immature. The race unfolded great.”
The Sunland Derby offered points through fifth place, on a scale of 20-10-6-4-2. Danyko finished fourth on Sunday, and Forty Twenty was fifth. Sharons Beach and Way Beyond were scratched from the six-horse Sunland Park Derby.
Pavlovian entered the Sunland Derby off a third-place finish in the California Cup Derby on Jan. 17 at Santa Anita. Earlier in his career, he was second in the Grade 3 Best Pal.
Pavlovian is a son of Pavel who is now 2 for 9 for earnings of $413,450. He races for his breeder, Reddam Racing LLC.