Sunland: Forest Mouse breaks track record winning Winsham Lad

Coady Photography

Forest Mouse, under Ry Eikleberry, covers a mile and 70 yards in a track-record 1:39.01 while winning the Winsham Lad.

Forest Mouse pretty much made his case that he’s the top dog among elders in New Mexico as the 5-year-old son of Teton Forest set a track record capturing Sunday’s $50,000 Winsham Lad Handicap at Sunland Park.

Owned by Parnell Thomas and trained by Henry Dominguez, Forest Mouse was once a top horse in Arizona. He has continued that form and then some since moving to New Mexico 11 months ago. Coming off a game win in the Zia Park Distance Championship last month, he used his speed under Ry Eikleberry to stalk the pace while staying in the clear a few lanes off the rail, moved up easily to challenge into the lane, was then asked for run and blasted clear to win clear.

 Tap the Gold, stepping up after two big wins at Zia Park in the fall, showed he may well belong at this level as he prompted the pace from the start and gamely held second. Hurricane Lake, third in the Zia Park Distance Championship at Zia on Dec. 2, filled that role again here as he sat back and made decent headway late to get the show in the field of nine.

Forest Mouse ran the mile and 70 yards in 1:39.01, easily besting the prior mark of 1:39.83 held by Rents Paid. He paid $5.20 as the 8-5 favorite and the winner’s share of $30,000 gives him earnings of $443,629 from 12 wins in 28 starts. The Curribot Handicap, a race in which he finished second here last year, may be next for him Feb. 10.