Saturday, March 12, 2011
Leading at every call, longshot Winter Camp won Saturday's $50,000 Bill Thomas Memorial Handicap at Sunland Park.
Winter Camp set fractions of :21.64 and :43.69 before stopping the timer in 1:15.04 for 6 ½ furlongs under jockey Agapito Delgadillo. Jon Arnett saddled the 4-year-old Forest Camp gelding for owner Pacifica West Stables.
Winter Camp was sent to post at odds of 23-1 and was the longest shot in the field of nine. The gelding returned a $49.60 win mutuel and paired with runner-up Stephengothisstar for a $218.80 ($1) exacta.
Winter Camp was bred in Kentucky by Martin and Pam Wygod. His sire, Forest Camp, is a Grade 1-winning son of the Vice Regent stallion Deputy Minister who entered stud in 2002. Now 14, Forest Camp won the 7-furlong Del Mar Futurity (G2) in 1999 for owners Aaron and Marie Jones. He currently stands at the Korean Racing Association's Jeju Stud Farm in the Republic of Korea.
Winter Camp has won eight of 18 races, and the $30,000 winner's share of the Bill Thomas Memorial purse pushed his earnings to $196,090. The gelding was claimed by his current owners from J. Kirk and Judy Robson for $25,000 on December 29, and he has since won two of his three starts, including a 5 1/2-furlong non-winners-of-two-other-than allowance at Sunland on January 25.
Stephengotthisfar ran second, a head behind Winter Camp, and was followed by Tactful, Quiet Again, Ducky Drake, 6-5 favorite Wiredfortwotwenty, River Echo, and Imco Spirit (IRE).
Stephengotthisfar banked $10,750 for his owner, Black Hawk Stable. A one-time $15,000 claimer, the 6-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Stephen Got Even has earned $188,864 from 10 wins in 34 outs.
Sent to post at 20-1, Tactful finished three-quarters of a length behind Winter Camp and completed a $5,175.60 ($1) trifecta. The 5-year-old California-bred Bertrando gelding races for Arthur C. Olivier, who claimed him for $16,000 at Golden Gate Fields last August, and he has banked $137,060 from four wins in 18 starts.