KINGSTON, Jamaica - Saddled by David Lee Sin, also in his capacity as owner of the first of two wins, odds-on favourite Dream of Mine against the weakest opposition for her 11th career appearance won in a 10-length runaway for title-chasing reinsman Dane Nelson who started the day six wins adrift of chief protagonist Anthony Thomas on 77 to close the gap.
A subsequent event was to prove this was just temporary as Thomas scored in the seventh and co-feature Front Runner Cup aboard Billy Whizz for trainer Wayne DaCosta.
Half an hour later the Anthony Nunes-trained three-year-old filly Task Force, running for a tag for the first time, was always clear in the day’s second to give former champion Dick Cardenas his first of three winning mounts. The thoroughly inconsistent but speedy filly started a 9/5 joint favourite and was claimed by trainer Junior Hall for owner Barrington Bernard at $550,000.
Freight Train (Jerome Innis) at odds of 30/1 confirmed the best day so far this season for Lee Sin’s small stable as the two-timer was confirmed in this his third win in 25 starts.
The second of three for Cardenas materialised as Papito at odds of 3/1 relinquished his maiden status in the fourth, much to the relief of conditioner Gary Subratie.
Big Paul (Jordan Barrett), who most punters thought was only there to make up the numbers in the fifth, had a surprise in store. Chasing pacemaker Polly B, the good-bodied seven-year-old gelding shot into the lead easily at the distance to win by 4 ½ lengths at odds of 24/1 in a career-best gallop for owner/trainer Wilfred Chin.
Ten-year-old Indy Arazi (Kiaman McGregor) won for the second time in a week to secure the sixth event for veteran trainer Richard Todd, who I am sure would be happy to give the more recent licencees pointers in how results like this may be achievable.
Race eight saw the return to form of El Profesor to affirm the Cardenas three-timer with a near four-length victory margin. Racing for the 12th time this season, the Patrick Lynch-conditioned six-year-old gelding’s sudden return to form was surprising to many as odds of 8/1 was posted.
In the ninth and co-feature Errol Subratie Memorial, the Richard Azan-trained three-year-old US-importee Eroy was all the rage and surprisingly the still classy eight-year-old Superluminal was bet at just under 9/1 against.
In a battle with the well-fancied Legality, another US importee ridden by Nelson, former six-time champion of the pigskin, Omar Walker, induced the 2015 St Leger to rally after being headed at the distance. It was another game effort for Superluminal’s 14th success to win by two lengths for trainer Ian Parsard.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Lynch for the performance of El Profesor who looked ungenerous in his previous 11 performances this year. The Best Winning Gallop is reserved for Superluminal who, at eight years was the oldest in a hugely competitive contest, delivered the perfect display of speed, courage and stamina. It was a vintage display by Omar Walker on Superluminal for recognition with the Jockeyship Award yet again.
