Wild On Ice Upsets Sunland Park Derby

After stalking just behind wicked-fast early fractions, Texas-bred Wild On Ice surged in the stretch to post a 35.40-1 upset in the $600,000 Sunland Park Derby March 26 at the New Mexico track.

Although highly regarded California shipper Fort Bragg scratched out of the race, the Bob Baffert-trained stakes winner Hard to Figure appeared poised to give Baffert his fourth Sunland Park Derby before suddenly shortening stride turning for home. The son of Hard Spun, most recently a gallant runner-up to Newgate in the Robert E. Lewis Stakes, faltered after dueling with the speedy Henry Q through a blazing opening half-mile in :45.96 and three quarters in 1:10.64.

Sunland Park-based Wild On Ice, racing just off the pacesetters under local riding legend Ken Tohill, cruised wide around the turn and bounded past a weary-legged Henry Q with a furlong to go. Wild On Ice continued to drive to the finish, repelling a rail challenge from Reddam Racing’s Low Expectations.

Wild On Ice won by 1 ¼ lengths in a final time of 1:51.39 for 1 1/8 miles on a fast track. The Joel Marr trainee returned a whopping $72.80 at the windows for a $2 win bet. Low Expectations and Henry Q rounded out the trifecta. Favored Hard to Figure finished last of six.

Tohill, who has won over 4,000 races in his long career, earned his first graded stakes victory in the Sunland Park Derby.

Wild On Ice, a homebred for owner Frank Sumpter, is not Triple Crown-nominated and therefore currently is not eligible for the 50 qualifying points to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve granted to the winner of the Sunland Park Derby. 

Wild On Ice is a Tapizar gelding out of the Grand Slam mare Slamitagain.