KINGSTON, Jamaica - Featured on this programme was another renewal of the 1,820-metre Terremoto Trophy, run to honour the exploits of this winner of the Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago Derbies in 1998. Incidentally, a year earlier Mr Lover Lover achieved a similar feat. As usual, there was no citation featuring Terremoto, and it is about time the official form book publishes the reason for each trophy event again. The Jamaica Racing Commission should ensure a resumption to promulgate the historical legacy of the racing industry.
Finishing fourth in the St, Leger, albeit 16 lengths behind Triple Crown aspirant Blue Vinyl, D Head Cornerstone was a warm order in the market at 4-5 favourite. However, the Gary Subratie-conditioned colt put in a listless performance and to the disappointment of jockey Andre’ Martin himself, yet to win a race this season, was only fourth by 17¼ lengths.
The feature race winner was Pelicula (7-1), a filly with a good turn of finishing speed, but who has not been alert at the start of any of her previous 10 career starts but outstayed her rivals convincingly here. Conditioner Richard Azan’s decision to try her in blinkers must have been a huge factor in her improved performance to concentrate on the gallop from early.
This was the third of four wins on the day for title-chasing reinsman Dane Dawkins to put him three ahead of reigning champion and chief protagonist Anthony Thomas who was winless on the card. Dawkins’ hugely successful day started in the 700-metre straight with 2-5 favourite Okahumpka scoring for trainer Ian Pasard in the opener, giving the stable its third success over the 20-race two-day meet.
Surviving an objection from Reyan Lewis, who was aboard the runner-up and whose mount was disqualified for interference early in the 1,400-metre contest, causing a rival to fall, Dawkins had the second of his four-timer. The Michael Marlowe-saddled maiden winner Jaxson, at odds of 5/1, won this the 1,400-metre fifth event in a driving finish. The outcome was an embarrassment for Lewis, who rode Magic Bullet and certainly had a basis for his claim of interference and intimidation in a hard-fought contest in the final 200 metres, but the stewards disagreed.
With his ever-improving horsemanship skills, Dawkins drove Hot Ice to victory by three parts of a length for trainer Patrick Fong to have a third success from 55 starts this season. This performance closed the four-timer with authoritative jockeyship on the part of Dawkins who achieved a similar feat earlier this year on June 18.
Race two was won by the Anthony Nunes-trained Noble Impulse who, as the 1/9 favourite, cantered hard, held over the distance of 1,000 metres straight to be just over six lengths clear of his nearest rival. This was the first of two for the stable trainer/jockey combination with Tevin Foster also partnering El Cid to win the 1300-metre fourth at odds of 2-1 thereby confirming the double success.
Race three, over 1,200 metres, was won at 9/2 by Sashamani Dance, ridden by Roger Hewitt for trainer Linton Calder. The 1,200-metre sixth ended in victory for 21/1 shot Baton Rouge (Phillip Parchment) for leading conditioner Jason DaCosta and the seventh run at 1,500 metres went to even-money favourite Katalina, (Omar Walker) saddled by Gary Crawford.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Richard Azan, whose change of equipment helped the newly blinkered Pelicula to deliver the Best Winning Gallop, while the Jockeyship Award goes to Dane Dawkins, whose four winners demonstrated a depth of skill set, especially in his handling of Jaxson in the fifth and Hot Ice in the nightcap.
