KINGSTON, Jamaica - Featured on the nine-race programme was the 1,200-metre Hot Line Stakes for fillies aspiring to be competitive in the 2023 Classics, particularly in the races restricted to their own sex.
Experienced reinsman Bebeto Harvey aboard Durocell deployed enterprising tactics in dominating the early fractions with the Patrick Fong-schooled progeny of Soul Warrior. She ran gamely from the distance to deny 7-5 favourite Royal Ash victory by three parts of a length.
Disqualified from first place 14 days ago for an incident of intimidation for which her rider Paul Francis has been penalised with a $10,000 fine and a two-day suspension, the Gary Subratie-conditioned four-year-filly Love Dub (4-1) recouped losses for her connections in the day’s opener run at 1,100 metres for the trainer’s first of two on the day. In the hands of champion Dane Dawkins for the first of his riding triple, Love Dub, an offspring of Sensational Slam, ran well inside the last 200 metres to hold her all-the-way advantage safely by one length.
Gifted the purse of the 1,400-metre second event Green Gold Rush (2-5), saddled by Dalton Sirjue, gave champion Dane Dawkins the second of his three wins on the day with a six-length runaway.
In race three, jockey-turned-trainer Phillip Elliott had his third success of the season from eight starts when nice-looking debutant Strike Smart (4-1) sprinted to victory over the 1,000 metres round with visiting reinsman Richard Lunan, home on a working vacation, doing the honours.
Saddled by Dennis Pryce, Casual Affair, installed the 6/5 favourite, led for 700 of the 1,000-metre round gallop of race four before being overtaken by stablemate Milkman (2-1) ridden by Tevin Foster.
In race five, run over 1,500 metres for maiden three year olds, Burning Valor, bred owned and trained by Carl Anderson and ridden by Phillip Parchment, was in front by just over length when the winning post arrived. However, the connections had to endure a concerning Stewards’ Inquiry into alleged intimidations; Foster lodged an objection which was overruled to end the torture.
Half an hour later, the race day regulators had more deliberations with an easier decision to make in adjudicating a broadside of favourite Runway Icon (3-5) by 20-1 shot by She’s My Friend. The incident occurred in the very first strides of the 1,200-metre sixth event restricted to fillies and mares four years and older. The contest was won by the David Lee Sin-owned and trained five-year-old mare Four Fiver (5-1) ridden by Youville Pinnock with She’s My Friend disqualified from the runner-up spot eventually.
USA-bred Sistren Treasure (7-2), in winning her fourth race from six efforts, gave Trevor James, owner of The Success Farm, a great deal of satisfaction on returning from overseas in time to witness the promising young three-year-old outstay five rivals in the 1,820-metre seventh event.
In closing his riding triple including two for trainer Subratie, Dawkins was patient off the pace and tactically astute in securing a path alongside the far rails from the top of the home straight. Sistren Treasure’s previous three successes came over distances below 1,200 metres. However, from as early as last October, owner James informed this writer that the athletically conformed thoroughbred will be much more effective when given the chance to stay longer journeys.
Trained by Gary Griffiths, consistent five-year-old bay horse Regal And Royal ended a frustrating sequential combination of 10 second, third and fourth-place finishes consecutively with a workmanlike length and a half triumph in race eight run at 1,400 metres. Former two-time champion apprentice Oshane Nugent ensured Regal And Royal, the 2-1 second favourite, did not idle at any stage of his gallop in registering a near two-length triumph.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Patrick Fong for the presentation of Durocell, who delivered the Best Winning Gallop when she had to display speed, stamina and courage. The skill set of Dawkins (Sistren Treasure) and Nugent (Regal And Royal) was in the conversation, but the Jockeyship Award goes to Harvey (Durocell).
