Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino (Saturday, March 15, 2008)
Wind Water rolls in $50,000 Bill Thomas Memorial Handicap
Wind Water -
Photo Credit: Eugene O'Neill /
Coady Photo
Southern California stakes winner Wind Walker shipped in to Sunland Park Racetrack
and Casino and rolled to a dominating four and three-quarter length victory in the
$50,000 Bill Thomas Memorial Handicap on Saturday.
The classy Bold Badgett gelding raced out to a comfortable early lead and pressed the
accelerator down the backstretch of the six and one-half furlong race. Under Ken Tohill, Wind
Water powered through fractional times of 21.71 and 43.72 seconds and still had plenty left for
the stretch run.
The 3-2 favorite gained in confidence down the lane and exuded class at the wire. He was timed
in a brisk 1:14.59, just missing the track record of 1:14.29 held by Bang in 2004.
Tohill commented on the victory, “He’s a very special animal. I want to thank these gentlemen
for letting me spin around the track with him. He won just effortlessly.”
Wind Water is owned by Adam Lewis of Moapa, Nevada. Chris Hartman trains the winner.
Wind Water earned $30,000 on Saturday, enriching his bankroll past the $586,000 mark.
The six-year-old California-bred has 14 wins from 41 starts. In the past six months, the
muscular chestnut has won stakes races at three different racetracks.
Budweiser Handicap winner Absolutely True ran well to earn second placed honors with
jockey Travis Wales. The runner-up was no threat to the winner but dug in to hold off Zamrite
in a photo finish for second place.
Ducky Drake, the 8-5 second favorite, failed to deliver his customary stretch punch.
He and jockey Mark Villa finished well back in fifth.