KINGSTON, Jamaica – The main attention on the day surrounded Run Thatcher Run who was racing seven days after making his first start of the season on Saturday, March 23, 2019.
Well, Run Thatcher Run passed evert test required by his trainer Wayne DaCosta. Run Thatcher Run running over 7 ½ furlongs had to contend first with a pesky foreigner in Saratoga Sight who was coming down in class from Open Allowance to Overnight.
Saratoga Sight and Run Thatcher Run hooked up from the three furlong point in the race with both going wide at the turn. The two bumped into each other at the top of the straight before Run Thatcher Run with jockey Omar Walker in the saddle moved away.
After disposing of Saratoga Sight, Run Thatcher Run then had to deal with the rush of Master of Hall who was coming hard next to the inside rails.
When the wire intervened, Run Thatcher Run won by a neck in an encouraging time of 1:32.2 for 7 ½ furlongs. Of note, Run Thatcher Run’s half sister, She's A Maneater in her first run for the year ran the same 7 ½ furlongs in 1:32.0.
So, what’s next for Run Thatcher Run? He is sure to have stripped much fitter after Saturday’s victory plus to his stocks have been added the key elements of guts and determination. Expect one more gallop probably over five furlongs and then it’s on to the 2000 Guineas on Sunday, April 14, 2019.
Another colt who made a positive step towards the 2000 Guineas was Sentient trained by Gary Subratie.
On Saturday, Sentient racing over seven furlongs, gave a notable performance clearing any doubts about his ability to be effective over a mile – the distance of the 2000 Guineas.
In fact, Subratie in his post-race interview indicated that Sentient may well be much more effective going around two turns. We will wait and see if this prognosis is of worth.
Sentient defeated Don Almighty from the powerful barn of Anthony Nunes by 3 ½ lengths. Now Nunes may have to rethink whether or not it is wise to race his charge in the 2000. Time will tell.
Another horse to pay attention to in the future is the US bred Legality trained by Philip Feanny.
Legality took his racing record to two wins from three starts, and on Saturday, the three-year-old dark bay colt ridden by Omar Walker was a very easy winner over seven furlongs in which he recorded a final time of 1:.25.3.
Take notice that Sentient in his seven-furlong run did a time of 1:25.4.
Walker himself had a good day on Saturday winning three races, two for his number one trainer Wayne DaCosta and one for Feanny.
In terms of the betting on the day, the biggest upset came in first when Run Dazzle with Trevor Simpson in the saddle won at odds of 39-1. Yet the Sunrise Six was still taken with the pay-out being $66,202 for each of the winners.