SHE’S SO FABULOUS RETURNS ON A WINNING NOTE
Returning from a five-month break, She’s So Fabulous easily brushed aside rivals in the $680,000 Christopher Armond event, a four-year-old and upwards(non-winners of two) call at 5 ½ furlongs (1,100m).
Trained by Dennis Thwaites and ridden by Omar Walker, She’s So Fabulous (Blue Pepsi Lodge – Fantabulous) shot to the front at the off and showed the way going into the half-mile (800m) turn ahead of Lady Pujarie (Javaniel Patterson), Joyful (Dane Dawkins), and Thegoodlife (Reyan Lewis).
Joyful pointed on She’s So Fabulous approaching the distance, but the latter regained the lead in deep stretch and turned on the pressure to win by 5 ¾ lengths at the wire. Thegoodlife came on late for second place ahead of Joyful in third spot. The final time for the race was 1:09.1.
CONSISTENCY PAYS OFF FOR FUNKY FASHION
Consistency paid off the connections of Funky Fashion as the six-year-old chestnut mare won a three-year-old and upwards Optional Claiming ($250,000-$200,000) event named in honour of Distinctly Native going 7 ½ furlongs (1,500m).
Jockey Dane Dawkins broke the Errol Pottinger-trained Funky Fashion running for the lead along with Nasdaq Princess (Oshane Nugent) passing the intersection at the seven-furlong (1,400m) marker. Dawkins allowed Party Princess (Devon A Thomas) and Nasdaq Princess to go by leaving the six-furlong point.
Navigating the half-mile turn, Funky Fashion went in chase of Party Princess before putting the head in front at the top of the lane. With the momentum going her way, Funky Fashion sprinted clear of rivals in deep stretch to win the race by seven lengths.
Sir Arjun Babu (Anthony Thomas) chased the winner turning for home to the wire, with Party Princess getting third place. The final time for the event was 1:38.3.
XY SOUL IN THE NICK OF TIME
Five-year-old bay gelding XY Soul rallied in deep stretch to nip Dodge This Link on the wire in a five-year-old and upwards (non-winners of three) event over 5 ½ furlongs.
It was a smooth break for XY Soul as the Gary Griffiths trainee jumped to the lead ahead of Dodge This Link (Dane Dawkins) and Queen Deftiny (Jerome Innis) going into the turn.
Dodge This Link surrounded XY Soul approaching the distance and brought the field into the lane under the hand ride. Tevin Foster produced his mount well for a last effort and XY Soul responded by nipping Dodge This Link on the wire for the win.
XY Soul won by three parts of a length in a time of 1:09.1. Jolly’s Dream (Roger Hewitt) came on for third place.
SUDDEN FLIGHT OBLIGES
Sudden Flight, trained by Nicholas Smith and ridden by Anthony Thomas, easily obliged as the favourite in an Optional Claiming ($550,000-$450,000) call for three-year-old and upwards over the five-furlong straight (1,000m) course.
Sudden Flight showed good speed at the off but had to settle behind Balazo (Shane Richardson) who set the early pace. It’s All I (Roger Hewitt) and Colour Me Tan (Phillip Parchment) also were up with the pacesetters.
Coming across the dummy rails and onto the main track, Sudden Flight came up to challenge Balazo for the lead and with half-furlong to go, sprinted off to win by 2 ½ lengths in a time of 1:02.3. Heart Of A Lion (Reyan Lewis) ran on to get second place with Colour Me Tan finishing third.
SEVEN HORSES CLAIMED
Henry Harrison Jr claimed Sir Arjun Babu for owner Carl Wolfe for $250,000 from Michael McIntosh, and Uton Stewart claimed General Mubaraak for owner Marshall Russell, also for $250,000, from Byron Davis from the third race.
In the fifth race, Phillip Elliott claimed Heart Of A Lion for owner Andrew Elliott from Jason DaCosta for $500,000; Nicholas Smith claimed It’s All I for owner Henry Mitto from Byron Davis for $550,000, and Steven Todd claimed Sudden Flight for owner Delroy Wellington from Nicholas Smith for $550,000.
Dennis Thwaites claimed Superluminal for owner Carlton Watson for $750,000 from Victor Williams, and Fitzgerald Richards claimed Fearless Champion for owner Mark Walker, also for $750,000, from Alford Brown from the eighth race.
