Southern Africa rallies at Sunland

Al and Saundra Kirkwood's SOUTHERN AFRICA (Cape Town) took the lead late from

a tiring Thor's Echo (Swiss Yodeler) and powered home a 1 1/4-length victor of

the $104,800

Borderland Derby at Sunland Park on Sunday. The Michael Puhich

trainee settled off the swift pace, urged to the outside as they turned for

home, and finished best in earning his first stakes win. The sophomore completed

the fast 1 1/16 miles in 1:43 as the 5-2 second choice, and gave back $7.40, $3.80

and $2.80 beneath Garret Gomez.

Thor's Echo opened up a three-length lead in the stretch and appeared on his

way to victory, but tired badly in the latter stages and settled for the place.

The slight favorite at 5-2 was good for $3.80 and $3 while completing the $31.20

exacta. Dover Dere (Cherokee Run) was prominent throughout but could not match

strides with the top pair late. The three-year-old was another 5 1/4 lengths

back and paid $3.20 at 7-1, while completing the $124.20 trifecta. Quiet Money

(Seattle Slew) closed from well off the pace to garner fourth and was followed

by Tudor Needed (River Flyer), El Batallon (High Yield), Western

Act (Western Fame), Voronin (Top Account), Leverage (Stormin Fever), Takin Issue

(Twin Spires), Cajun Pepper (Barricade) and Proud Ringer (Proud Irish).

Southern Africa moved his mark to 7-3-1-0 with a bankroll of $130,062. The

colt was stakes placed in England, and fourth in the Hollywood Futurity (G1) and

Hollywood Prevue S. (G3). Bred in Kentucky by Hassan Ahamdi and Michael

Anderson, the colt was produced from the Group 3-placed Al Fahda (GB) (Be My

Chief).