- By Martha Claussen for
SureBet Racing News
Comin Thru
Wins the Grade 2 Sam Houston Classic - Stolis Winner
Denied Attempt to Top Earnings Mark of Quarter Horse Legend, Refrigerator
Houston, TX - August 13, 2010 - Friday, the 13th invokes superstition and bad
luck for many, but all good things came to Comin Thru, a 4-year-old son of
Separatist, who defeated a stellar field in the $50,000 Sam Houston Classic.
Bred in Texas by Michael Pohl and owned by Mickey Tiner of Angleton, Texas,
Comin Thru broke from the nine hole and finished gamely for the Grade 2 win and
first victory at the distance of 440 yards. Trained by Judd Kearl, Comin Thru
kept his Sam Houston Race Park record perfect as he notched his fourth win of
the meeting.
"I didn't think the horse was capable of running 440 yards," said regular pilot
Rodrigo Vallejo. "But Judd has done a great job with him and he has been
training very well. Each race, he runs better."
Kearl had a few minutes of heart-pounding anxiety as he waited for the photo
between his horse and longshot Point Of Deception. It was a huge victory for the
35-year-old Kearl, who will win his third Sam Houston training title when the
meet wraps up on August 14.
"The horse has a ton of talent," commented Kearl. "We didn't know he could go
440 yards, but he proved he could do it tonight."
Stolis Winner bred and owned by Jerry Windham and trained by Heath Taylor,
entered the Sam Houston Classic with lifetime earnings to $2,097,731, second in
all-time earnings to World Champion Refrigerator, who earned $2,126,309
throughout his illustrious career. The 4-year-old gelding finished sixth. He
will make his next start and attempt at racing history in the Refrigerator
Handicap at Lone Star Park, according to Windham.
"He stumbled out of the gate, but still felt he was going forward and gaining
momentum, but about the third jump, it kind of felt that one of the horses
caught him in the hind end," said rider G.R. Carter. "He made a decent run.
He'll win some more races."
When asked about denying Stolis Winner his history making bid, Kearl replied
"You hate to see that happen, but if it had to happen, I was glad my horse got
it done."
"This was a magnificent race," said Tiner. "Mr. Windham has a World Champion and
we held our breath and waited on the photo. We owe so much to Judd. He's a hard
worker; at the barn seven days a week. If anybody wants a great horse trainer,
come see Judd."
Comin Thru was sent off at odds of 7-1 and returned $16 to his backers. Point Of
Deception was impressive in his runner-up finish for owner/trainer Javier Noel
Contreras. There was a dead-heat for third between Charal Kid and King
Brimmerton. Mon Ti Stoli ran fifth followed by Stolis Winner and Bertha Venation
and Blue Louisiana dead heated for seventh place. Thats An Azoom and Miss Kips
Streakin rounded out the order of finish.
To break the record in his home state is important to Windham, a past AQHA
president and strong supporter of Texas racing. He had an interesting encounter
with Refrigerator in 1990 when his homebred Vital Sign defeated Refrigerator in
the Heritage Place Futurity.
"He was a very sound and durable horse," said Windham of Refrigerator. "The best
ever; that's all you can say."