Old-timer Royal Vibes wins with blinkers off
Running with the blinkers off, 11-year-old Royal Vibes showed that age is just a number when he brushed aside rivals to win a three-year-old and upwards Optional Claiming ($550,000-$500,000) event over seven furlongs (1,400m).
The Ryan Darby trainee was tardy at the off but jockey Paul Francis got Royal Vibes into a striking position, sitting in fifth place behind Blind Faith (Oshane Nugent), Key Witness (Anthony Thomas), Diosa de Oro (Dick Cardenas), and Tradition (Robert Halledeen) approaching the half-mile (800m) turn.
Turning for home, Royal Vibes hugged the inside rails and got a dream run in deep stretch to launch his bid. Francis got his mount going inside the final furlong and Royal Vibes powered away from rivals to win by 6 ½ lengths.
Stallwalkin’girl (Samantha Fletcher) came on late to snatch second place from Tradition, who finished third. The final time after splits of 24.0 x 47.4 x 1:14.2, was clocked at 1:28.3.
Whatever upsets at 11-1
Whatever, trained by Paul Charlton and ridden by Linton Steadman, created an upset when defeating rivals at odds of 11-1 in a three-year-old and upwards Optional Claiming ($250,000-$200,000) event over nine furlongs and 25 yards (1,820m).
Devine Lexie (Kiaman McGregor) took the field around the clubhouse turn and held that position down the backstretch with Whatever cruising behind in second place ahead of General Mubaraak (Romario Spencer) and Stan Roy (Chalrick Budhai).
The running order remained the same for most of the way the field raced on the backstretch until General Mubaraak took over at the half-mile pole with Whatever joining Devine Lexie and My Mom Juss (Chris Mamdeen) just behind.
Coming into the lane, My Mom Juss surrounded runners but Whatever refused to give up his gallop in deep stretch, outbattling My Mom Juss in the final part of the contest. Whatever defeated My Mom Juss by three-parts-of-a-length with Isotope (Robert Halledeen) finishing in third place. The winning time was 2:03.0.
11-year-old Fortuneonehunded notches 22nd career win
Eleven-year-old American-bred bay gelding Fortuneonehundred notched the 22nd win of his career from 76 starts after a fighting effort in a five-year-old and upwards Claiming ($180,000-$150,000) event at over 4½ furlongs (900m).
Fortuneonehundred, owned and trained by Anthony Subratie, and racing with the figure-8 off, got a good start and was up with the pace throughout.
Coming across the dummy rails, Fortuneonehundred met up with Paintthistownred (Ricardo Duhaney) on the inside rails as both horses battled for supremacy. Jockey Devon A Thomas kept his mount well-balanced on the outside and Fortuneonehundred got up for the win.
Buck Call (Ramon Nepare) came on to earn third with the final time recorded at 55.4.
Stevie The Great an easy winner
The lightly-raced Stevie The Great (Fearless Vision – Michelle The Boss) easily obliged as the favourite in a Restricted Allowance V event for four-year-old and upwards travelling six furlongs (1,200m).
Jockey Matthew Bennett hustled up the Colin Ferguson-owned and trained Stevie The Great to take the early lead ahead of Smoke Haze (Jordan Barrett), Daytona Belle (Anthony Thomas), and Jolly’s Dream (Omar Walker).
Going into the half-mile turn, Stevie The Great upped the tempo, looking to steal a march on the field but was quickly challenged by Daytona Belle entering the straight.
After a brief battle in deep stretch, Stevie The Great drew off to win by 1½ lengths ahead of Daytona Belle. Jolly’s Dream was third as the final time for the race was clocked at 1:15.2.
Three horses claimed
Only three horses were claimed on the 10-race card
In the first race, Ryan Darby claimed Blind Faith for owner Preston Munroe for $550,000 from Renex Burrell and Anthony Dixon claimed Diosa De Oro for owner Shushana Lowden, also for $550,000 from Johnny Wilmot.
Victor Williams claimed Devine Lexie for owner Rabalac Connection for $250,000 from Anthony Nunes from the third event.
