Suarez Racing Inc. and Royce S. Jaime Racing’s THOR’S ECHO (Swiss Yodeler)
battled back in the stretch to win Saturday’s $500,000
WinStar Derby by a length
at Sunland Park. The lightly raced gelding led the way early over the fast New
Mexico track, establishing splits of :22 4/5 and :46 3/5, before being passed on
the backstretch by Southern Africa (Cape Town) nearing the far turn. He
continued to trail that rival, dropping a half-length behind on the bend, as
Southern Africa appeared on his way to the win, but Thor’s Echo found more along
the inside when straightening for home, re-rallying to draw even and duel with
his opponent before edging clear in deep stretch.
With Corey Nakatani in the irons for trainer Doug O’Neill, Thor’s Echo
completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:49 2/5 and revered the order of the Borderland Derby
in late February when he fell 1 1/4 lengths short to Southern Africa. The
California-bred three-year-old earned his first stakes victory as the 2-1 second
choice in the eight-horse field and improved his overall mark to 4-2-1-1 with a
bankroll of $321,560. Sort It Out (Out of Place), the 2-1 third choice, offered
a bid into the stretch to reach striking position but couldn’t make up enough
ground on the top two, missing the place by a neck. Next came Dover Dere
(Cherokee Run), Tudor Needed (River Flyer), Quiet Money (Seattle Slew), Cajun
Pepper (Barricade) and Riverman Jack (Cape Canaveral).
Bred by Fast Lane Farms & Block & Forman, Thor’s Echo is the second foal from
the unraced Helen of Troy (Mr. Integrity). The improving chestnut will likely be
pointed toward the Kentucky Derby (G1), but he doesn’t have any graded earnings
yet. Thor’s Echo also gave O’Neill and Nakatani their second rich score on the
afternoon, following a victory by Merv Griffin’s CEE’S IRISH (Cee’s Tizzy) in
the $259,000
WinStar/Sunland Park Oaks.
Cee’s Irish went right to the lead at the start and dueled with Dayglogreen
(Comet Shine) through the majority of the 1 1/16-mile Oaks before drawing clear
in the stretch for a 2 1/4-length victory. The sophomore filly recorded her
third stakes triumph, following wins in the Corte Madera S. and grassy Blue Norther S. She stopped the teletimer in 1:44 3/5. Dayglogreen held the place by
3 1/2 lengths over third placer Island Escape (Petionville).
In the $104,450
New Mexico Breeders’ Derby, Glenda Godwin’s C.G’S DOLLAR (Ghostly Moves) rallied from just off the
pace to win by a length with Glenn Corbett in the saddle. The Jose Ramos-trained
gray notched his first stakes win and improved his overall mark to 9-3-3-0 when
finishing a mile in 1:39 1/5. Armando Jurado’s BLUE SONG (Sultry Song) broke first in the $104,350
Harry W. Hanson H. and never relinquished that lead,
eventually taking the one-mile affair in 1:35 3/5 under jockey
Ken Tohill. Trained by Jose Gonzalez, the four-year-old filly now has a record
of 19-7-2-3 with $139,459 in earnings.