Star Lee goes one better
After finishing second at 6 ½ furlongs (1,300m) when last at the races, Star Lee went one better after making all to win a maiden condition contest racing down the five-straight course.
Trained by Victor Williams, and ridden by Dane Nelson, Star Lee (Rizzi Lee - Biscayne Starr) got a good break at the off, setting the early fractions. Star Lee stayed with the field for the first half of the race before drawing away rivals passing the dummy rails.
Although shortening a bit inside the final half-a-furlong, Star Lee by then had done more than enough to win by 1 ¼ lengths in a time of 1:00.3.
Sweet Medicine, under Aaron Chatrie, came running on for second place with Mansur Musur (Dane Dawkins) earning the third slot.
Oldster Royal Vibes fights hard to win ‘Morty’ Heron Memorial Cup
After a superb stretch run, Royal Vibes, who benefited from a well-executed ride from Dane Nelson, got up in time to beat rivals in the Mortimer “Morty” Heron Memorial Cup feature - a three-year-old and upwards claiming ($750,000-$700,000) event travelling seven furlongs.
Royal Vibes was close up to the leaders as the 11-year-old bay gelding settled into fourth place leaving the six-furlong marker behind Lord Ashton (Roger Hewitt), Lazer Light (Oshane Nugent) and Splendid Vision (Javaniel Patterson).
With Nelson getting busy on the old-timer down the backstretch, Royal Vibes went in chase of Lord Ashton navigating the half-mile turn. In the stretch run, Lazer Light on the inside rails, Lord Ashton in the middle, and Royal Vibes on the outside, battled for supremacy.
Nelson pushing as hard as he could ride got Royal Vibes got up for the win by three parts of a length ahead of Lord Ashton in second and Lazer Light third.
Balazo easily obliges
Seven-year-old chestnut gelding Balazo with a substantial pull in the weights brushed aside rivals as the prohibitive 3-5 favourite to win the opener, a claiming ($250,000-$200,000) contest by 7 ½ lengths going 7 ½ furlongs.
Ridden by Oshane Nugent, the Nicholas Smith trainee shot to the front when the gates opened ahead of Rockdale (Romario Spencer) and Mr Lyndhurst (Ameth Robles). Going into the half-mile (800m) turn, Balazo began to open up on the field with every stride.
By the time they turned for home for the drive, Balazo was gone skipping clear of rivals to notch a facile victory. Cruising Motion (Phillip Parchment) came through for second with Twilight Storm (Ramon Nepare) third. The winning time was 1:09.3.
Sheboom finally gets home with a change of equipment
Sheboom, after 16 career starts including seven second-place finishes and three third places, finally got her head in front at seven furlongs in a maiden condition race for native-bred four-year-old and upwards.
Running this time with the figure-8 off, Sheboom, under Robert Halledeen, got going from the number one draw and raced in close touch behind the leaders at the start of the race. Sniper Man (Oshane Nugent) held the advantage leaving the five-furlong point ahead of Daytona Belle (Jordan Barrett) and Helicopter (Javaniel Patterson).
Sheboom, trained by Patrick Lynch, cruised down into third place at the half-mile turn before going through to challenge for the lead at the top of the straight.
After a brief battle with Helicopter in deep stretch, Sheboom edged away to win by two lengths. Helicopter finished second. Silent Cat (Hakeem Pottinger) finished third with a final time of 1:28.0.
It should be noted that Helicopter got a bad start, then had traffic problems on the rails causing his rider to check on at least two occasions. Helicopter is one to watch.
Easy does it for Night Light
Night Light, trained by Ryan Darby and ridden by Javaniel Patterson, ran rivals into the ground to easily win a three-year-old and upwards claiming ($550,000-$500,000) call going seven furlongs.
Night Light broke in second place behind Reigning King (Anthony Thomas) after the gates opened with Coralando (Robert Halledeen) close behind. Night Light put his head in front leaving the six-furlong point and then began to increase the lead with four furlongs to go.
Turning for home, Night Light turned on the pressure and powered home to score by 4 ¾ lengths in a time of 1:28.0. Reigning King was second and Killer Bee (Christopher Mamdeen) was third.
SIX HORSES CLAIMED
Six horses were claimed on the 10-race programme.
In the first race, Borris McIntosh claimed winner Balazo for owner Deleta Brewster from Nicholas Smith, Ray Phillipps claimed Flying Bullet for owner Morris Myrie from Fernando Geddes and Welsh Soutar claimed Mount Zion King for owner Richard Evans from Michael Thomas. All horses were claimed at a tag of $250,000 each.
Joseph Thomas claimed winner Night Light for himself for $550,000 from Ryan Darby and Steven Todd claimed Reigning King for owner The Hustler, also for $550,000 from the third race.
In the seventh race, Alford Brown claimed Secret Traveller for owner Modern Connection for $750,000 from Wayne DaCosta.
