KINGSTON, Jamaica - The 2015 and 2016 Horse of the Year, Seeking My Dream, was remembered with yet another staging of the trophy event named in his honour, attracting a high-class field of eight contestants slated to gallop over 1,500 metres in this renewal programmed as the afternoon’s eighth.
A few stud farms in the United States were well represented as the five declared importees won a total of 24 races across the last two seasons. With favourite Further and Beyond, the 2021 Horse of the Year only finishing third, four lengths away, without looking likely to win. Recent results suggest locally bred bloodstock will struggle in the two top classes this season.
Latest sprint star Runaway Algo (3-1), who bettered current top-rated campaigner Mahogany from in front a month ago, made a bold bid to demonstrate versatility and a touch of stamina and nearly succeeded, only failing by a neck to see out the journey. Turning for home in front after dominance of the early fractions, the three-year-old chestnut, despite the best effort of Christopher Mamdeen, the 2019 champion reinsman, was worn down by most-improved I’ve Got Magic, (17-1) trained by Philip Feanny and ridden by Paul Francis.
Supporting the feature was another renewal of the Monday Morning Trophy and, importantly, Anthony Nunes’ Classic aspirant Morimoto stayed on track for his date in the 2000 Guineas on June fifth with a three-length triumph in the event run over 1,400 metres as the ninth and final on the card. Ridden by Robert Halledeen, the impressively confirmed colt, with this victory, gives an indication that he will be comfortable over the 1,600 metres of the opening Classic.
In the opening event, Balazo (8/1), saddled by FitzGerald Richards and ridden by Youville Pinnock, nearly blinded his 11 rivals with speed over the 800-metre straight course with a six-and-a-half length domination.
In the day’s 900-metre second, Okahumpka (Robert Halledeen), saddled by Steven Todd, was nearly as superior with a six-length runaway, albeit from only six others at odds of 4/5 favourite.
Race three, run over 1,000 metres round, was won by 4/5 favourite Diligent, guided by Phillip Parchment for conditioner Gary Griffiths.
Champion and current leader Anthony Thomas, in winning the 1,400-metre third aboard the Fitzroy Glispie owned and trained Bin Laden was set for another good day to add to his three-timer 24 hours earlier on day one of the three-day Labour Day weekend carnival.
Thomas had to wait an hour for his second as Tocatbetheglory (6-1), owned and trained by Carl Anderson and ridden by Shane Richardson, intervened to score in the 1,200-metre fifth event before the champion resumed his blitz with victory aboard speedy Buzz City Light for trainer Jason DaCosta in the sixth, run over 1,000 metres straight. Half an hour later, Thomas confirmed his third of the day and sixth over the first two days of the carnival with Moneyman (8-5) winning the 1,400-metre seventh race gallop by over five lengths for owner/trainer David Lee Sin.
The Training Feat Award is presented to David Lee Sin for presenting Moneyman, a horse that is difficult to train in unbeatable condition, to deliver the Best Winning Gallop. The Jockeyship Award goes deservingly to Paul Francis for his performance aboard I’ve Got Magic in the feature, giving his mount maximum assistance to get on terms with the powerful Runaway Algo following an exciting battle for supremacy in the last 150 metres.
