THE TRAINERS
The heat is well and truly on in the trainers’ championship with Jason DaCosta leading champion Anthony Nunes by just over $300,000, which is the equivalent of less than one race win.
The two continue their battle on Saturday, with Nunes having starters in four races (2,6,8,10) and DaCosta also (6,8,9,10).
The breakdown of the horses by both trainers are starting is as follows:
NUNES
Race 2 – Devonte, Ha Gow Siu Mei
Race 6 – Alimony, Oldkingcole
Race 8 – Santorini
Race 10 - Nuclear Noon
A total of seven starters.
DACOSTA
Race 6 – It’s A Boy
Race 8 – Den Street, Iannai Links, Unruly Boss
Race 9 – Tomohawk
Race 10 – Drummer Boy
A total of six starters.
Interesting days are ahead.
THE JOCKEYS
Co-champion and leading rider Anthony Thomas is on the cusp of securing his 100th winner this season. ‘Saint Mary’ as Thomas is widely known has already cleared the 400-win mark and now stands on 98 winners in 2021.
A glance at the list of top 10 jockeys based on winners earned sees the rise of Tevin Foster with 28 wins. Foster seems to be forging quite a successful partnership with trainer Anthony Nunes and is benefitting from the association with Nunes as his winning stock has risen in recent times. Plus, pundits are noticing that Foster is looking better and better in the saddle each race day.
Javaniel Patterson is currently enjoying his best season in a long while. Patterson has ridden 25 winners to date and more are on the horizon. Let’s hope Patterson’s resurgence continues.
THE HORSES
Seven first-time runners have been nominated to run on the 10-race card.
Six are in the second, which is a two-year-old maiden special weight, and one in the seventh, which is a three-year-old maiden special weight.
The six two-year-old first-timers are:
Brinks – a bay colt by Bern Identity – Indian Bluff trained by Ian Parsard. Indian Bluff has already produced Halls of Justice.
Ha Gow Siu Mei – a bay colt by Sensational Slam – Gaining Traction trained by Anthony Nunes.
Devonte – a bay colt by Fearless Vision – Eighteen Karat trained by Anthony Nunes. Eighteen Karat has already produced Dontae, Necromancer, Don Almighty, and Task Force.
Justin Biden – a chestnut colt by Lion Tamer – Wagon Wheel trained by Lawrence Freemantle. Wagon Wheel has already produced Son of Spartacus and Coco Chanel.
Rainsville – a chestnut colt by Casual Trick – Fiftyshadesofray trained by Richard Azan.
Runaway Algo – a US bred chestnut colt by Algorithms – Annie Belle trained by Dale Murphy.
The other two runners in the two-year-old contest are Hidden Valley and Infinito, who have both raced already.
Hidden Valley is a chestnut filly by Soul Warrior - Little Thunder trained by Richard Azan. Little Thunder has already produced Trini Magic, Dash of Class, Reggae Gone Grammy, and Let Him Fly.
Infinito is a bay filly by Silent Valor – Salino trained by Winchester McIntosh. Salino has already produced Sheer Beauty.
The three-year-old in the seventh race is El Fuego.
El Fuego is a bay colt by Here Comes Ben – Lady Madras trained by Ray Phillips. Lady Madras has already produced J T Express, Javine, Waheed Najmah, Aurelia’s Summer, Inspired Miracle, and Chennai Express.
