Devine Lexie earns win number two
After finishing second in his last two efforts, five-year-old bay mare Devine Lexie went one better to achieve her second career win in a native-bred five-year-old and upwards Restricted Allowance (non-winners of two) event over 6 ½ furlongs.
Jockey Dane Nelson got the Anthony Nunes trainee into a good position at the off as they raced in fourth place down the backstretch behind Dare To Speak (Osive Donegal), Moon (Matthew Bennett), and Cruzinn Jed (Samantha Fletcher).
With four furlongs to go, Nelson moved Devine Lexie into third place as Cruzinn Jed took over and opened up on Dare To Speak. It took a while for Devine Lexie to get going in the stretch drive but once she got rolling, it was all over, as she powered away from rivals to win by 1 ¼ length in a time of 1:23.1.
Fighting Valbee, under Aaron Chatrie, also came on towards the end of the race to finish in second place with Cruzinn Jed third.
Trainer Gregory Forsyth notches 11th winner
In-form trainer Gregory Forsyth saddles his 11th winner for the year when his seven-year-old roan mare Storm Princess won a three-year-old and upwards Optional Claiming ($350,000-$300,000) event over four furlongs (800m).
Ridden by Anthony Thomas, Storm Princess travelled behind stablemate Markofaprince (Youville Pinnock), who led the small field coming across the dummy rails for the last two furlongs.
Inside the final furlong, Storm Princess came up to challenge for the lead and eventually pointed but with yards to go, she had to withstand the late surge of Boss Izzy (Nicholas Hibbert) eventually getting home by a short head. Markofaprince was third as the final time was recorded at 48.2.
Ultimatum off the mark
Bred in utero, four-year-old by filly Ultimatum (Shackleford – Urgent Appeal), after 12 career starts, was able to get off the mark when she outran rivals in a Restricted Maiden Condition contest for native-bred four-year-old and upwards.
With Nicholas Hibbert riding for owner/trainer Dennis Lee, Ultimatum was sharply out of the starting gates in the four-furlong quick dash and disputed the lead with Nina Dorada (Javaniel Patterson).
Coming across the dummy rails, Ultimatum began to draw away from Nina Dorada and went on her merry way to win by 1 ¾ lengths in a time of 48.2.
Sheer Beauty (Samantha Fletcher) finished in second place ahead of Nina Dorada.
Innovator a 31-1 upsetter
In a sudden turned around of form, Innovator, from the barn of Joseph Durrant, created a huge upset when he defeated his more fancied rivals in a three-year-old and upwards Optional Claiming call ($550,000-$500,000) over 6 ½ furlongs.
Ridden by Youville Pinnock, Innovator led from the start as he guided Lightning McQueen (Orlando Foster) down the backstretch as the two separated themselves from the rest of the field heading into the half-mile turn.
Innovator kept his gallop strong in the straight as he outran Lightning McQueen by two lengths with Milkman occupying the third slot.
Innovator won at odds of 31-1 and completed the distance in 1:20.4.
Nine horses claimed
Nine horses were claimed on the 10-race programme.
Winner of the second race Storm Princess was claimed from Gregory Forsyth by Michael Thomas for owner Rosdore for $350,000.
In the fourth race, Joseph Durrant claimed Lightning McQueen for owner Ricardo Durrant from Fernando Geddes, Gregory Forsyth claimed Eddie’s Princess for owner Top Rock from Dennis Pryce, Patrick Fong claimed Latapy for owner Fitz Bradley from Steven Todd, Nicholas Smith claimed Key Witness for owner Akim Mahadiow from Gregory Forsyth, Renex Burrell claimed Diosa De Oro for owner Samora Clarke, and Johnny Wilmott claimed A Seh Soup for owner Devon Francis from Anthony Subratie. All horses in the fourth event were claimed for $550,000 each.
Michael Thomas claimed Cruising Motion for owner Jahlene Thomas for $180,000 from Michael Campbell and Patrick Taylor claimed Zi Beast for owner Donnette Yee, also for $180,000 from the fifth race.
