KINGSTON, Jamaica - Princess Annie, the 2019 Oaks winner, returned to the winners’ enclosure for the first time in six months with a resounding 1½ lengths performance win over a mile (1,600 metres).
The win by Princess Annie came in a Restricted Allowance (three-year-olds and upwards) event on Saturday at Caymanas Park.
This win was the filly’s third career win of the season along with two second-place finishes and a third place from 15 career starts that moved her lifetime earnings up to approximately $4 million.
Trained by Wayne DaCosta for owner Carlton Watson, Princess Annie is the first progeny of the imported stallion Northern Giant to win in Jamaica.
Princess Annie, who has an appetite for enjoying a distance of ground, was sent off at odds of 10/1 with claiming apprentice Kiaman McGregor in the saddle came thundering up the lane with much in hand. She then exploded along the running rails in upper stretch to overhaul the leader, winning in a time of 1:37.4.
Marquesas, like Princess Annie, came running on but despite being ridden with much enthusiasm by the in-form Dane Nelson, failed to seriously challenge and had to settle for second. El Profesor, who prompted the early pace with Graydon (Aaron Chatrie), was another short-head away in third.
“We gave her (Princess Annie) a rest after the Oaks and she responded pleasantly with a bold win. We first got her to run in the Diamond Mile and even though she did not place, she ran well enough for us to give her an excellent chance to win but going six-and-a half furlongs was a bit on the short side. She was closing rapidly and lost by only four lengths.
“On evaluating the run, we then concluded that a mile was the ideal trip to give her a great chance of winning. For this trip, she basically sat behind the pace and ran through at the top of the straight and won comfortably with another two lengths in hand,” DaCosta evaluated.
“Princess Annie is a stayer and the longer they go, she will be at home, so let us see what she will do next year,” trainer DaCosta added.
