Wild on Ice stuns Sunland Park Derby; Flying Connection wins Oaks pace war

Wild on Ice, who was not nominated to the Triple Crown by the early deadline, had finished far behind in his past two, both in Sunland stakes. A trailing ninth in the Jan. 29 Riley Allison Derby, he was third, but beaten 20 lengths by Henry Q, in the Feb. 28 Mine That Bird Derby. He’d have to face Henry Q again on Sunday, as well as the top two from the Riley Allison, One in Vermillion and How Did He Do That, plus Bob Baffert’s odds-on shipper, Hard to Figure.

Ironically, “hard to figure” proved an apt description of Wild on Ice. But regular rider Ken Tohill followed Marr’s instructions to get him into the game early, and the Texas-bred gelding responded.

As Henry Q, the 8-5 second choice, battled with 1-2 favorite Hard to Figure through fast fractions, Wild on Ice was closely tracking in third. The pace duel took its toll on the leaders. Hard to Figure gave way on the far turn, and Henry Q couldn’t hold on much longer.

Wild on Ice advanced on the outside, and another longshot stalker, the 21-1 Low Expectations, cut the corner into the stretch. Surrounded on both sides, Henry Q retreated to third. 

A new battle emerged between Wild on Ice and Low Expectations, but the former always appeared to have the upper hand. Edging 1 1/4 lengths clear at the wire, Wild on Ice negotiated 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.39 and paid $72.80.

Low Expectations picked up 20 points for his second-place effort in this stakes debut. Another 2 1/2 lengths back came Henry Q, receiving 15 points. How Did He Do That closed from last for fourth, good for 10 points, and he now has 11. One in Vermillion, who reared up in the gate and had to pass a veterinary inspection to run, checked in fifth and got five points. Hard to Figure trailed the six-horse field, and Fort Bragg was scratched in favor of Saturday’s Florida Derby (G1).

Wild on Ice improved his scorecard to 5-3-0-1, $405,400. His first two wins came in sprints at Zia Park, a Nov. 8 maiden and Dec. 19 allowance.

By the Tapit stallion Tapizar, Wild on Ice is out of the Grand Slam mare Slamitagain. The bay descends from the family of 1999 Florida Derby hero Vicar, who was 18th in the Kentucky Derby, and French classic-winning miler Astronomer Royal.

In the companion race for fillies, the $300,000 Sunland Park Oaks, a similar duel unfolded between a local star from the Todd Fincher barn and a Baffert hotpot. But unlike stablemate Henry Q in the Sunland Park Derby, Flying Connection withstood the pressure and won. 

The 13-10 second choice after romping in the Feb. 28 Island Fashion S., Flying Connection again grabbed the early lead with jockey Alfredo Juarez Jr. Baffert’s 7-10 favorite, Doinitthehardway, pressed her, but Flying Connection repelled the shipper and bravely kept on. The daughter of 2016 Kentucky Derby champion Nyquist clocked 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.90 and banked 50 points toward the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Love Tank, the Island Fashion runner-up, rallied from well off the pace to take second again. The margin was closer on Sunday, just 2 1/4 lengths, thanks to the much tougher time Flying Connection had up front. Deep-closing Don’t Get Pickled was along for third (15 points), followed by Una Palabra (10 points). Doinitthehardway was not eligible for fifth-place points because Baffert is suspended by Churchill Downs Inc., and Foolish Delight brought up the rear. 

Campaigned by Brad King, Randy Andrews, G. Chris Coleman, Jim Cone, Suzanne Kirby, and Lee Lewis, Flying Connection has bankrolled $294,700 from her 7-4-0-1 line. The bay also captured last fall’s Zia Princess S. before a troubled third in the Jan. 29 Borderplex S.

Flying Connection was bred by Liberty Road Stables in Kentucky and sold for $250,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. Her dam, Free Flying Soul by Quiet American, was a multiple stakes-winning sprinter who placed in four graded events, including the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).