Anthony Nunes asserts himself in trainers’ race
KINGSTON, Jamaica - As happened in the past when a trainers’ championship is on the line and Boxing Day feature Jamaica Two-Year-Old stakes, with its substantial purse, can be a decider, the 2021 version fell into this category with protagonists, two-time defending titlist Anthony Nunes and challenger Jason DaCosta battling for supremacy on the final day of the season.
This renewal of the annual premier event for juveniles was slated to be the ninth of 11 races programmed and offered a total purse of $4.0 million with the winning owner to be rewarded with $2.1 million. Given the fact that the breeding industry is only delivering an annual average of around 150 foals over the last decade-and-a-half from a high of 350 in the halcyon days, only eight juveniles were thought to be ready.
Not surprisingly, of the eight declarations DaCosta posted Deezi, maiden Giant Wheeler, Tekapunt and Fly Messenger Fly. Richard Azan saddled Power Ranking and Perfect Brew with Ian Parsard represented by long odds-on favourite Brinks and Nunes by two-time winning filly Golden Wattle significantly.
Deezi was slowly into stride but mended quickly to assume the lead before the end of the first 200 metres with Perfect Brew in an unwise dispute for early advantage. Neither had an answer for the challenge of Golden Wattle in the upper stretch. Ridden by Tevin Foster and starting at 11/1 the brave chestnut progeny of Lion Tamer was able to score by two lengths from Perfect Brew to secure a third-straight title for Nunes.
As for Brinks, he never travelled well enough at any stage to win although he held every chance at the distance, but should have had his number taken down from third to fourth for nearly sending Deezi over the rails entering the last 200 metres. However, there was no inquiry. Brinks was seemingly very exhausted and distressed following the event and was detained in the parade ring for a hosing-down exercise which lasted in excess of 10 minutes.
Robert Halledeen closed the season in top form with Generational winning the opening 1,200-metre event for Nunes at odds of 7/5, followed by victory aboard Beautiful Bran (2/5) trained by Dale Murphy in the 800-metre straight second race.
Halledeen was back in the winners’ enclosure following victory on Robert Pearson’s Will The Conqueror (4/5) in the fifth over the 1,000-metre straight course and closed the card aboard Patriarch (7/5) running a similar distance for conditioner Lance Richards.
Ryan Darby’s sprinter Casual Affair made all to win for the third time in a row, and six from 24 starts overall as he toted top weight under Oniel Mullings to win the 1,000-metre third. Going off at 7/1 here the speedy four-year-old gelding was bet at 27/1 and 62/1 in the two previous successes to record combined odds of 96/1. Incidentally when he won his second race early this year it was at 16/1 and trained then by the late champion Wayne DaCosta.
Black Royalty (Raddesh Roman) trained by Tyrone Prince won for second time from 57 starts over 1,100 metres in the day’s fourth at 1/5, while the sixth went to Patrick Lynch’s inconsistent gelding Curlin’s Flight scoring by three parts of a length running over the 1,000-metre straight course. Curlin’s Flight was ridden by two-time champion apprentice Oshane Nugent who secured a second winner aboard Father Patrick (2/1) over the same course for trainer Ian Parsard.
Phillip Parchment was pressed into service to replace the ailing Anthony Thomas and DaCosta’s only success was a 10-length runaway delivered by Mr Ambassador (1/9) in the seventh event run over the 1,000-metre straight course, with Expeditious (5/2) ridden by Ramon Nepare for Marlon Anderson led and never looked likely to be caught over the 1,600-metre course of the eighth race.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Ryan Darby for his preparation of Casual Affair to defy top weight in displaying the Best Winning Gallop and the Jockeyship Award went to Oniel Mullings for his skills when it mattered in the final rush for the wire.
