KINGSTON, Jamaica - FEATURED on the 11-race programme was the inaugural staging of the 1600-metre She’s A Maneater Trophy honouring one of the best-ever thoroughbreds. This is a Triple Crown heroine who won nearly all the other major events held during her distinguished career and is undisputedly in the top ten list of the most successful racehorses of all time.
Favourite Double Crown (7/5) could have benefited from stronger and more experienced tactical assistance than lightweight apprentice Jordan Barrett could have provided for the well-handicapped four-year old gelding. Saddled by Ian Parsard and last to leave the gates, Double Crown was rushed to pursue the pace-making Awesome Treasure (Dane Dawkins) and completed the first 1200 metres in a stamina-depleting 1:10.2 to eventually finish, just over one length, in third spot.
On the other hand, it was a sublime performance from joint 2020 champion and current leader Anthony Thomas aboard the Jason DaCosta-conditioned 2020 Derby hero King Arthur (2/1). Attacking the new, front-running Double Crown in the upper stretch and wresting the lead approaching the distance, King Arthur ran well inside the last 200 metres to hold his advantage safe by three parts of a length over the challenging Sentient ridden by Robert Halledeen.
The divided 1100-metre opening event, restricted to three-year-old maidens unplaced in full open company prior, was won by the Patrick Lynch-conditioned Queen T (4/1), ridden by Dane Dawkins to give the in-form jockey the first of two wins on the day.
Speaking of two wins on the day, Linton Steadman was also slated to have success similar to that of Dawkins with victory on useful-looking Juvenile debutant Golden Wattle (3/1). Schooled by two-time champion Anthony Nunes for his first of three winners on the card, the chestnut daughter of Lion Tamer showed no sign of greenness over the 800-metre-straight gallop of the day’s second event.
Nunes had his second success half an hour later in the 1300-metre third event, with Kiaman McGregor inducing a strong late rush aboard Devine Lexie (6/1) who raced to the top of the home straight as one of the early backmarkers. The five-year-old mare, having her 18th start this season, obviously prefers being on the track rather than caged in her stall.
Even money favourite Band Of Gold (Phillip Parchment), saddled by veteran Gordon Lewis, required grit and determination to secure a three-part-length victory margin in race four over 1400 metres. The six-year-old mare, who was a Classic contender half her lifetime ago, looked an absolute picture in the post parade, with her dark bay coat glistening in the brilliant, early afternoon sunshine.
In race five Sebastian (9/5) — a former Overnight Allowance campaigner acquired six weeks ago by Gary Subratie (who started the day atop the trainers’ standing) — had a complete reversal of form in winning the 1500-metre $750,000 claiming event. The five-year-old gelding ridden by Javaniel Patterson was a combined 265 lengths adrift in its last nine races, and in this race Sebastian spent a long time on the bridle before striking the lead at the distance to score by only two lengths — but the win was convincing, nevertheless.
Patterson and the connections of his mount Mamacita, the 2/1 favourite in the 1000-metre-straight sixth event, were out of luck. In an all-the-way duel with chief rival Talented Tony K (Robert Halledeen), a 3/1 fancy saddled by Winchester McIntosh, the consistent five-year-old mare failed to keep a straight course in the last 200 metres.
Following a time-consuming stewards’ inquiry, it was deemed that in edging right in her gallop, Mamacita caused Talented Tony K to suffer interference and his rider, intimidation — thereby warranting justifiable disqualification from first place. Patterson’s use of his whip in such close quarters, which appeared to have struck the side of Talented Tony K’s unprotected head, sealed the fate of Mamacita.
Predictably, race seven was won by 1/5 favourite Sheer Beauty, trained by long-serving Edward Hamilton and ridden by apprentice Samantha Fletcher for her tenth success of the season as her mount was two lengths better than the nearest rival in the 800-metre dash on the straight course.
The Michael Marlowe-trained four-year-old filly Gambler (11/1), in a surprisingly improved performance, arrived in the final stride to deny victory to the Anthony Thomas-ridden Let Him Fly who started as the 5/2 favourite of the 1400-metre eighth event. In securing double success it was an inspired performance from Dawkins to time the final effort of his mount with such perfection.
The tenth event, Division II of race one, went to 5/1 chance Lady Magnum (Jordan Barrett) for trainer Lorne Kirlew’s third success from 21 starts this season. King’s Magician sprinted home better than five lengths clear in the 1200-metre eleventh and closing event, thus confirming Steadman’s double and Nunes’ three-timer from his high-powered stable.
With Nunes, Subratie, Marlowe and DaCosta winning six of the eleven races, the 13-strong cohort of second-generation trainers are back with a vengeance after a less productive period of only six successes in the 29 races over the three prior race meetings. Their 2021 tally has now increased to 226 winners from 540 races offered so far this season.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Michael Marlowe for the improvement in the form of Gambler in that it is relatively rare for a four-year-old filly to move into the higher category of non-winners of four races and succeed immediately. Gambler displayed the Best Winning Gallop and pilot Dane Dawkins made the decision for the Jockeyship Award easy to determine.
