KINGSTON, Jamaica – The day was highlighted among the horses by the defining performance of 2020 Derby winner King Arthur in the Menudo Trophy and the triple by trainer Johnny Wilmot, who as a result reached 100 winners.
Then there was the first run by two-year-old Perfect Brew which caught the attention of many.
THE HORSES
King Arthur carried the weight while allowing lumps to his six rivals in the 10-furlongs of the Menudo Trophy.
With Anthony Thomas in the saddle for trainer Jason DaCosta, King Arthur repelled all-comers by sticking close to the leader Eroy, moving judiciously around the final turn, and afterward finding enough strength and stamina to thwart the advances of the much lighter Crimson (Robert Halledeen). The time recorded by King Arthur was 2:07.4, which is nothing to scoff at on this race track.
Calculus, the three-year-old who won this year's St Leger and Derby was never a winning factor throughout finishing last of the seven runners. Calculus will need more time to get to know this grade, as a three-year-old racing against seasoned older horses is never easy.
It is now five wins in 2021 for King Arthur, who in the absence of the likes of Nipster, Oneofakind, and Toona Ciliata must be rated along with Mahogany as the two top horses currently.
PERFECT BREW
Racing without Lasix and ridden with hands alone, Perfect Brew a two-year-old bay colt by Bern Identity – Midnight Brew got his career off to a winning start, coming on strongly from off the pace. That is a good sign which suggests that Perfect Brew will probably like it longer and is good enough to sit and wait before pouncing when it matters the most.
Perfect Brew is one to watch.
THE TRAINERS
Johnny Wilmot is the man of the moment with his three winners. Congratulations are extended to Wilmot on the achievement of 100 winners.
A special word is given to trainer Vincent Atkinson, the man who conditions foreigner Best Daughter Ever. For a long while, close to a year, Best Daughter Ever had her problems, and even with his small string, Atkinson waited on his charge. There was no rush and when he brought her back to the track on September 8, she was a winner.
Today Best Daughter Ever triumphed again showing a lot of grit and determination. Well done, Sir Atkinson.
GENERAL THOUGHTS
It was a day for the form bettors as all the designated wagers were caught with the longest odds winner being the Edward Stanberry trained Soul Treasure (Youville Pinnock) in the fifth.
The first five races saw horses winning with extreme ease and by very long margins.
Race 1 – Leo won by 11 ½ lengths
Race 2 – Perfect Brew by 3 ¾ lengths
Race 3 – Nuclear Emma by 12 lengths
Race 4 – Soul Treasure by 14 lengths and
Race 5 – Mansur Musur by 4 ¾ lengths
