Strike At Will with a change in equipment holds on to get off the mark
Three-year-old chestnut filly Strike At Will (Strikewhileitshot – Princess Alexandra), racing with the blinkers and tongue tie off, led from the start and held on by a short head to win a maiden condition contest for native-bred three-year-old fillies over seven furlongs (1,400m).
With Dane Dawkins getting a chance ride, the Tensang Chung-trained Strike At Will shot to the front and held a comfortable lead ahead of Nina Dorada (Kerry-Gayl Robinson) and Daytona Belle (Jordan Barrett). Strike At Will maintained a strong gallop down the backstretch before upping the tempo at the half-mile in a move to steal a march on the field.
Galloping resolutely in deep stretch, Strike At Will just held on from the fast-finishing SheBoom (Dane Nelson) to release the maiden tag after nine starts. Purposely was third with the event recording a final time of 1:28.3 for the distance.
QUANTUM DANCER GIVES OWNER/TRAINER ADIN WILLIAMS THIRD WIN OF THE SEASON
Owner/trainer Adin Williams notched his third winner for the 2020 racing season when his charge Quantum Dancer, ridden by Anthony Thomas, won a Restricted Allowance IV event travelling four furlongs straight.
Never that well away when the starting gates were opened, Quantum Dancer coupled up nicely after the first half of the race as expected leaders Big Dream (Roger Hewitt) and Blu Attitude (Dane Nelson) battled for control.
Inside the final stages of the race, Quantum Dancer hit another gear and exploded, powering away from rivals to win the native-bred five-year-old and upward non-winners of three event by 2 ½ lengths.
Shesaysyes, under Abigail Able, who was prominent throughout the race on the inside rails, finished in second place, 1 ½ lengths in front of Blu Attitude in third place.
Quantum Dancer, bred by Sorrentino out of the Gilded Time mare Charity Dance, completed the distance in a time of 46.0.
A ONE-TWO FINISH FOR TRAINER RYAN DARBY
Trainer Ryan Darby filled the first two places in an Optional Claiming ($180,000, $150,000) event after Parajet got the better of Zi Beast over three furlongs (600m) straight.
It was an even start for most of the runners as Markofaprince (Anthony Thomas), Fortuneonehundred (Dane Nelson), Zi Beast (Roger Hewitt) and Parajet (Daniel Stachell) vied for the lead with Laws of the Code (Oshane Nugent) close behind.
As the runners made their way inside the final furlong, Parajet and Zi Beast pulled away from the pack with Parajet going on to win by a neck. Laws of the Code was just ½ length back in third place. The final time for the event was 35.0.
DEEP BLUE SEA CONTINUES TO MAKE PROGRESS
Four-year-old chestnut colt Deep Blue Sea from the stables of Johnny Wilmot continued to show improvement with a fighting win in a Restricted Allowance 111/IV event over five furlongs (1000m) on the round course.
As expected, Deep Blue Sea was sent off on the lead under jockey Omar Walker ahead of Heiroffire (Dane Nelson) but going into the half-mile turn, Custer (Youville Pinnock) went by all – to take control of the race.
Coming into the lane, Deep Blue Sea regained the lead but then had to dig in deep to fight off the challenges of Beach Boy (Anthony Thomas) and Heiroffire. Deep Blue Sea eventually won by a head from Beach Boy and Heiroffire in a time of 59.1.
Deep Blue Sea (Blue Pepsi Lodge – Antoinette) was winning for the fourth time from eight starts, finishing in second place two times with lifetime earnings of just under $2 million.
THREE HORSES CLAIMED
The claiming box was quiet as only three horses went through on the 10-race programme.
Third past the post in the third event Night Light was claimed from Patrick Lynch for $450,000 by Henry Harrison Jr for owner David Forbes.
In the day’s sixth event, Marlon Anderson claimed Markofaprince for owner Fitzroy Davidson from Gregory Forsyth for $150,000 and Junior Panton claimed Laws of the Code for owner Denton Gordon from Phillip Elliott for $180,000.
