KINGSTON, Jamaica - The featured event, run as race seven on the 10-race card, was another staging of the 1,400-metre Pick 3 “Super Challenge” Trophy for foals of 2021. It is of concern that only seven, four of which came from the Jason DaCosta outfit, were considered forward and capable enough to line up at the start of a race offering a purse of $3.6 million, with more than two-thirds of that slated as the winner’s share.
Mamma Mia (Robert Halledeen) one of the DaCosta quartet was bet at odds of 3-5 favourite to remain undefeated in her third appearance. This filly’s second success was achieved gamely in the Cash Pot “Only One For Me” Trophy deemed the first leg of the juvenile “Triple Crown” and run at 1,200 metres.
Maiden colt Uncharter (Reyan Lewis) from the DaCosta camp was not ready at the start and conceded as many as six lengths. On the other hand, Mamma Mia sprinted to the front to control the early pace and led until overtaken 50 metres out by the Legit Boss (13-1) who she beat by nearly 11 lengths in the “Only One For Me”. Uncharter, in finishing third, was only beaten by two-and-a-half lengths and clearly has above-average potential for significant improvement.
Schooled by defending titlist Anthony Nunes, Legit Boss was confidently handled by “Terrific” Tevin Foster. This was the first of two wins on the card for this trainer/jockey partnership as they were also successful in the 1300-metre ninth event with Nefetari (2-1). This filly conceded significant ground at the start when winning easily on her debut last May. Although a bit more alert at the start today, five-length winner Nefertari, who even refused to race on one occasion, seemingly will never abandon her slowness leaving the starting gate.
The day’s opener, run over 1,600 metres, was won by 10-year-old former sprinter Ras Emanuel (Nicholas Hibbert), whose previous nine successes from 70 appearances under the care of winning trainer Peter McMaster came over much shorter trips.
Half an hour later, lightly raced, medium-sized grey Snowflakes (6-5), trained by Colin Ferguson and partnered by Samantha Fletcher, led in her fifth career effort to outsprint five rivals in the 1000-metre round second event by just over two lengths.
In race three, over 1,100 metres, Taurus Boy (Anthony Thomas) at odds of 1-5 was the first of two short-priced winning favourites trained by former 14-time champion Philip Feanny. The second success was delivered by the speedy 3-5 favourite Prncsshootingstar (Oniel Mullings) over the 1000-metre straight eighth event.
Running for a claiming tag of $400,000 for the first time, trainer Dennis Thwaites’s War Of The Roses (1-5) was presented with a gift which was collected by jockey Robert “Hard Ball” Halledeen on behalf of owner Rising Star with a 10½ lengths romp over the 1,400 metres of race four.
In race five, contested over 1,300 metres by 10 maiden three-year-old fillies, 9-5 favourite Never On A Sunday, ridden by Shane Richardson, was in front for trainer Maurice Crooks.
Well-bred Mister Mandate (9-5), trained by Dennis Pryce and ridden by Javaniel Patterson, kept the form players receiving good cash returns with a three-and-a-quarter length winning sprint in the 1,100-metre sixth event. Bred, owned, and trained by Lorenzo Robinson and ridden by Dick Cardenas in the 1,100-metre nightcap, restricted to maiden three-year-old fillies, Melmich held on under skilful assistance from the saddle to score by a neck at 16-1.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Anthony Nunes for the improved performance of Legit Boss. In a post-race interview he revealed that the attractive grey filly, who prefers to sprint in front, was schooled to settle off the pace and ignore the sand kicked at her face by others ahead. The Best Winning Gallop was produced by Melmich, who has had her lead challenged on both sides and from behind but lasted home under today’s Jockeyship awardee Dick Cardenas.
