KINGSTON, Jamaica - There is only one week to go before the racing season’s first two Classic races, the 1000 and 2000 Guineas.
The 1000 Guineas for fillies only will be competed for on Saturday, July 25 and the 20000 for colts and geldings is set for Sunday, July 26 at Caymanas Park. Both these Classic races are run over a mile.
Despite the three-month break of racing occasioned by COVID-19, interest among trainers, jockeys, grooms and owners is still high for the Classic races.
It was on Monday (July 13) that the promoting company Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) announced an increase in the purse money for each race. The stated purse money when the conditioned book was released stood at $2 million for each race, a drop from $3.5 million from last year when the 1000 and 2000 were both sponsored.
SVREL has since added $800,000 to the purse of each race.
While the trainers, owners and grooms of each Classic aspirant are set and are well known, there is always excitement in the air where jockeys are concerned.
Jockeys and their agents usually move around trying to mount-up on the best possible rides in such big races.
The report is that the Scotch bonnet hot favourite for the 2000 Guineas and champion two-year-old of last year Wow Wow will be ridden by Robert Halledeen. Halledeen in recent times has struck a winning partnership with the trainer of Wow Wow, Gary Subratie.
Halledeen rode Wow Wow for the first time two weeks ago as regular rider Ameth Robles, who partnered Wow Wow to nine of his consecutive victories has been missing in action.
Subratie who holds a particularly strong hand in the 2000 Guineas told this publication that no rider has been decided on to ride Nipster. Word from the track though is that Dane Nelson will be the pilot on Nipster come 2000 Guineas Day.
Subratie’s main challenge in the 1000, the vastly improved Another Affair is yet to be assigned with a jockey. Talk is that it could be Dane Dawkins who will take the reins on Another Affair but nothing has been confirmed as yet.
Mahogany trained by Ian Parsard, considered to be the main threat to Wow Wow will be ridden by Dawkins while Double Crown also from the Parsard barn will be guided on 2000 Guineas Day by Omar Walker.
The entries and riders from the stables of the champion Anthony Nunes especially in the 1000 Guineas are set and ready.
In the 1000 Guineas, Nunes will saddle pre-race favourite Above and Beyond with regular partner Dane Nelson on board. Nunes also starts Versatile Vision with Shane Ellis atop, Sencity the mount of apprentice Reyan Lewis and Glock who come under the guidance of Phillip Parchment.
Exciting filly Speechless, who races under the care of conditioner Gary Crawford was quite impressive when winning three weeks ago with Halledeen in the saddle. It is still unknown who will ride Speechless in the 1000.
Tomohawk conditioned by Wayne DaCosta will have Anthony Thomas as his rider in the 2000 Guineas.
