KINGSTON, Jamaica – Staged as the seventh of ten races, this renewal of the feature 1600-metre The Viceroy Trophy was interesting on two levels.
Firstly, is the question of whether or not six-year-old Mahogany continues as the top-rated thoroughbred, being asked to run over varied distances with disadvantageous weight allotments irrespective of the improvement made by his rivals. The weight-for-age-table is important but was not in evidence here.
Secondly his chief rival backed at 2-1, the Jason DaCosta-conditioned and improving United States-bred I Am Fred (USA) — who won spectacularly toting 57 kilogrammes in his previous event over 1300 metres — posting a 1:18.4 clocking was assessed to run in receipt of five kilogrammes from Mahogany.
In his post-race interview, winning reinsman Reyan Lewis (29) revealed he did not think he needed to do anything special but just to “watch and track Mahogany closely”. I Am Fred accelerated impressively to win by four lengths and a quarter with something in hand.
The opener, run at 1100 metres, was won by ten-year-old gelding Bay Commander (6-1) by just over three lengths, with Bebeto Harvey (05) providing from the saddle the assistance to secure trainer Borris McIntosh’s first success of the season with this runner only his second starter.
In the 1600-metre race two the hugely successful Anthony Nunes and Tevin Foster (31) trainer/jockey combination had the first of a double with Anchorman (8-5), which was confirmed by City Hawk (8-5) in the nightcap contested over the 1000 metres of the straight course restricted to three-year-old maidens.
Champion Dane Dawkins (23) enjoyed his only success from seven opportunities aboard Dodge This Link (7-5), saddled by Ryan Williams in the third which was staged over 1300 metres.
It was predecessor Anthony Thomas (20) who emulated the feat of Foster by opening a double with Richard Azan’s Scooby over 1200 metres of race four. The Thomas double was confirmed in race nine with Rhythm Buzz (8-5), declared by Vincent Anderson to score in the Simply Magic Cup run at 1820 metres.
The Foster, Thomas and Dawkins exchange of winners was interrupted in race five by dominant US-bred maiden Major Danger (19-1) who won by four and a half lengths with Javaniel Patterson (10) using mostly the reins over the 1300 metres of race five. Dawkins and Lewis were engaged in race six but three-kilogramme claiming jockey Shavon Townsend rode veteran trainer Donovan Phillips’s Ruds D Indian (3-1) to victory by three and a half lengths.
In race eight, run at 1000 metres round, nicely confirmed débutante, three-year-old filly Epic (2-1) — nominated by Edward Stanberry and ridden by Paul Francis (05) — did nothing wrong and was game in victory by a neck over 4-5 favourite Slam Dunk, a disqualified winner previously. This was a promising effort and if raced judiciously Epic, a bay progeny of Casual Trick, is likely to pay her way.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Borris McIntosh for the performance of aging Bay Commander who, due to lameness on January 15 and again on April 1, was disqualified from starting, however was quite fluent in galloping to victory today. The Best Winning Gallop was displayed by Epic who, as an inexperienced first-timer, was required to show speed and courage to succeed and did it admirably.
Anthony Thomas deserves the Jockeyship Award as each of his winners, Scooby and Rhythm Buzz, needed only a few split-second decisions to ensure there was a clear path to the respective victories.
