KINGSTON, Jamaica - The Portmore Stakes is set to take place on Saturday, May 25, at Caymanas Park, and the line-up of 12 fillies is ready to take part in this exciting race.
Here is a breakdown of each horse in The Portmore.
1 - BUTTERCUP: This bay filly (born February 2) by Conquest Cherimash out of Shahar is trained by Richard Azan, with Oneil Scott riding. Buttercup's Thornbird run on April 13 saw her run through the dummy rails. However, the filly managed to claim victory over seven furlongs, making the 7 ½ furlongs of The Portmore perfect for her. Buttercup's strategy will be to race behind the leaders and run on in the lane.
2 -BATTLE ANGEL: This chestnut filly (born May 18) by Bern Identity out of Angel Dreams is trained by Anthony Nunes, with Oshane Nugent aboard. Although Battle Angel showed improvement on April 28, finishing strongly and only losing by a length to Fearless Attack, she is not expected to perform well in this race. She is definitely one to watch for future endeavours though.
3 - BLU SENSATION: This bay filly (born February 12) by Sensational Slam out of Blues In The Grass is trained by Peter-John Parsard, with Oneil Mullings in the saddle. Despite having a difficult run in the Thornbird, then going wide and finishing fifth, only six lengths behind Banadura, Blu Sensation has been moving nicely in the mornings and has to be seriously considered.
4 - O SO SMART: This chestnut filly (born May 24) by Soul Warrior out of Patchwork is trained by Steven Todd, with Jerome Innis holding the reins. O So Smart could be seen gaining ground in the Thornbird to finish sixth. She will enjoy the extra ½ furlong. However, odds are against her for success in this race.
5 - BANADURA: This bay filly (born March 21) by Casual Trick out of Esperanza is trained by Jason DaCosta, with Robert Halledeen as the designated jockey. Banadura is the only filly in this lineup to have achieved three wins. She established herself as the top-rated three-year-old filly in the Thornbird and ran her heart out to emerge victorious. However, there are concerns about her ability to produce effectively going 7 ½ furlongs. Nonetheless, Banadura packs a lot of class, making it her fourth win.
6 - COMEHOMETOME: This bay filly (born January 29) by Northern Giant out of Heart of Gold is trained by Jason DaCosta, with Tevin Foster riding. Following some in-and-out performances, Comehometome delivered her best run to date in the Thornbird, finishing second, 1 ½ lengths behind her stablemate Banadura. Another respectable run is expected, especially with the change of riders from Josue Osorio to current leader Tevin Foster.
7 - LUCY IN THE SKY: This bay filly (born March 23) by Liquidity out of Tap A Bay Yankee is trained by Jason DaCosta, with Josue Osorio aboard. Unfortunately, Lucy In The Sky cannot manage these.
8 - FRANCIS: This bay filly (born March 13) by Savoy Stomp out of Jazzy Jet is trained by Richard Azan, with Omar Walker aboard. Francis finally got off the mark 21 days ago. However, this is not enough for her to have an impact on the outcome of this race.
9 - FASTNFURIOUSLINKS: This grey filly (born February 15) by Casual Trick out of Another Fury is trained by Barrington Bernard, with Paul Francis in the saddle. Fastnfuriouslinks has gone completely off the boil since her third-place finish in last year’s Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes. She is not expected to put in a better performance in this race.
10 - SHANY STAR: This bay filly (born April 15) by Savoy Stomp out of Gentle Officer is trained by Lawrence Freemantle, with Raddesh Roman holding the reins. Shany Star is slowly finding herself after finishing fourth, 4 3/4 lengths adrift of the winner Banadura. While Shany Star was losing ground in the final half-a-furlong of the Thornbird, she cannot be denied a realistic chance in this race.
11 - RUN JULIE RUN: This grey filly (born May 6) by Successful Native out of Runaway Julie is trained by Ian Parsard, with Reyan Lewis the designated rider. Run Julie Run made up significant ground in the final furlong of the 7-furlong Thornbird Stakes to take third place, just two lengths behind Banadura. She seems to be peaking at the right time and has been meticulously waited on and prepared for not only The Portmore but also the Classics races on the horizon. The longer the distance is, the better it is for Run Julie Run.
12 - CRYPTOGIRL: This chestnut filly (born April 18) by Soul Warrior out of Twilight Eruption is trained by Donovan Plummer, with Shamaree Muir aboard. Note that Cryptogirl races with the tongue tie on. This filly has speed but has been found to have difficulty with longer distances. Maybe the addition of the tongue tie will make a difference. Only time will tell.
The Portmore Stakes promises to be an exciting race, and with such a strong line-up of fillies, any number can play.
