Hard to judge Summit of Speed

KINGSTON, Jamaica - This weekend of racing at Caymanas Park is being dubbed the ‘Summit of Speed’ by the promoter. No race on the two-day programme will be longer that 6 ½ furlongs.

The top race over the two race days (Saturday, December 12 and Sunday, December 13) is a 6 ½ furlong contest for the top-rated horses currently in training. This race will be run tomorrow.

A big field of 13 has been nominated to face the starter in this knotty affair.

The 13 runners entered are analysed below:

1 FORMAL FASHION: (4 ch f by Blue Pepsi Lodge – Onemorefashion) – A winner on November 13 in the class below. Formal Fashion now steps up to compete and is going to find that repeating is not an option.

2 STRANGER DANGER: (USA): (4 dkb g by Buffin – Casual Kiss) – Former top-rated campaigner who in two outings this year has yet to rekindle his form of last year. Stranger Danger has obvious health issues dealing with, so based on this fact and current form, he cannot get the winning nod. Note the figure-8 is on.

3 DRUMMER BOY: (5 b h by Natural Selection – Preach Preacher) – Shows up every now and then with a good effort and his connections will be hoping that tomorrow is one of those days.

4 MARQUESAS: (5 b h by Coded Warning – Islamorada) – Ran absolutely no race on November 28 when finishing in 10th place behind Nipster and Sir Alton over 7 ½ furlongs (1,500m). This reduction is journey won’t help Marquesas and he should be bypassed as his learning curve in this grouping continues. Note the visor is on.

5 NIPSTER: (3 b c by Casual Trick – Nippit) – Without doubt the top three-year-old who is a major candidate for Horse of the Year honours. Nipster was awarded victory on November 28 after being squeezed for space by Sir Alton in a 7 ½-furlong contest. He entered that race with the fastest time at the distance and even though he much prefers to race longer, Nipster is in prime form while still showing improvement and should not be unduly bothered by the one-furlong reduction tomorrow. If the front-runners crumble in the latter part of this race, watch out for Nipster’s surging finish.

6 MAHOGANY: (3 ch g by Sensational Slam – Mete-Orite) – Promised so much in the early part of the year but failed to live up expectations. The consensus among pundits is that Mahogany prefers sprinting and the middle distances to be fully effective hence his poor showing in the longer Classic races. Now Mahogany with a considerable drop in weight from 57.0 kg to 52.0 kg is primed for a return to the winners’ enclosure having already summarily dismissed the likes of Sentient and Summer Sun at 8 ½ furlongs on August 16. Mahogany has to be judiciously ridden as with a wealth of speed against him, timing and jockyship become key elements for victory.

7 GOD OF LOVE: (4 b g by Adore The Gold – Shanda D) – God of Love has been allotted to carry the burdensome impost of 59.0 but the presence of a claiming apprentice has given him a pull in the weight. Made all to win on November 14 at 6 furlongs in a time of 1:11.2. God of Love has been thriving under his new trainer and he does has the ability of sitting off the pace before making a final bid. It is going to be a speed fest with several horses vying for the lead, the apprentice riding God of Love has to get his timing right.

8 KING ARTHUR: (3 b g by Natural Selection – Geisha’s Gift) – Jamaica Derby winner who is better going long. This is a race of speed and even if this speed comes back, King Arthur will not be the one to capitalise. Yet King Arthur comes in light and can occupy one of the minor placings.

9 SENTIENT: (4 ch by Strikingwhileitshot – Lady Geetadeo) – Races with the heavy burden of 58.0 kg with the little used Ameth Robles in the saddle. Sentient is versatile so the distance tomorrow should not be of any consequence to his chances of winning. Comes off worse in the handicaps when compared with Mahogany on August 16. Then Sentient was upended by Mahogany at 8 1/2 furlongs but tomorrow is a different day and time and for sure Mahogany is going to be tested on the headlines and Sentient has the ability to make a bid coming off the pace.

10 TRULY AMAZING: (4 b f by Traditional – Runin On Empty) – A known five-straight advocate who has been quietly earning her spurs on the round course. Beaten by God of Love on November 14 at 6 furlongs by 2 ½ lengths and is now worse off in the scales when the apprentice claim on God of Love is taken into consideration. Truly Amazing, while learning to stay with the early pace and then run on, races for only the second time going longer than 6 furlongs making the extra half-a-furlong tomorrow a tad more demanding.

11 JAMAI RAJA: (7 b g by Market Rally – Angela’s Favourite) – Finally, after many attempts was a winner at the Overnight level. Jamai Raja knowns only one way to run and that is in front. There are many faster rivals in the field tomorrow thereby making his chances of winning difficult.

12 DUKE: (4 g c by Casual Trick – Lady McBeth) – Moving up a notch and needs time to adapt.

13 SUMMER SUN (USA): (4 ch c by Afleet Alex – A Love Theme) – Definitely not a sprinter, so his only chance of finding a place on the board is if the noted speedsters crack in the stretch drive.