KINGSTON, Jamaica – With three days of racing and 27 races over the Easter Weekend, the performances of, especially, the local three-year-olds, have come under the scrutiny of THE QUICK GALLOPER for future engagements.
An assessment specific to the male three-year-old cohort is provided for readers below.
Looking at the three-year-old male cohort, no one horse has made enough progress to suggest there is a clear-cut leader among that rank.
Power, is an imported in utero, three-year-old chestnut colt by the Brazilian sire Bal A Bali out of Swift Fox trained by Philip Feanny, and ridden to victory on Easter Sunday by Omar Walker.
Power’s victory at a mile came in a three-year-old (non-winners of two). He won convincingly by 3 ¾ lengths, and with that second victory from six starts, has vaulted himself to be among the favourites for the upcoming male Classic races. The time done by Power going a mile was a noticeable 1:40.3 second with splits of 23.3 x 46.1 x 1:11.3.
Brinks, the top-rated male two-year-old coming into this Classic year has done nothing to show that he has made enough advancement to figure prominently in the big races to come later in the year.
The same can be said for Perfect Brew, while Slammer, another of the prominent two-year-olds now three has not raced in 2022.
Tekapunt won the Sir Howard Stakes (6 furlongs) but was lacklustre in the Prince Consort Stakes (7 furlongs).
Two horses in the male three-year-old category have sparked great interest, Blue Vinyl, and Emperorofthecats.
Blue Vinyl, after being slowly out in the Prince Consort, made a surge in the straight to lose by a head. Blue Vinyl had made a significant statement, but was that run enough? Well, Blue Vinyl races on Saturday (April 23), when more answers will be made available.
Emperorofthecats won the Prince Consort, one of the major preparation races for the Classics, but he gave the impression of shortening in the final half-furlong. Emperorofthecats is lightly raced, but given the improvement expected by the three-year-olds at this time of the year, he can easily grow into an effective miler, which is the distance of the first Classic, the 2000 Guineas.
Worthy of consideration is Deezi. Dezzi has a win in 2022, but red flags went up when he was to run two weeks ago but was declared a late non-starter. If a fit and proper Dezzi emerges then he will have a role to play in the Classics.
The final male three-year-old to consider is The Citadel. The Citadel has a record of two wins from two starts, winning both his races with aplomb. The Citadel is one with obvious potential, who at this moment is given every chance of doing well in the Classics.
Race fans are in for an interesting 2022 Classic season, particularly among the male three-year-old grouping.
