KINGSTON, Jamaica – The following is THE QUICK GALLOPER’S RACE BY RACE analysis of the ten races run at Caymanas Park on Saturday, April 23, 2022.
RACE ONE – This claiming ($550,000 - $450,000) event (5 ½ furlongs) ended in a bang-up finish with 9-5 chance Baltusrol (Tevin Foster) prevailing by a head over a surging Killer Bee, with Loose Cannon just a neck behind the second-placed horse. Baltusrol provided his trainer Gregory Forsyth with his fifth success this season, while for Foster it was a welcome return to the winners’ enclosure. Baltusrol was winning for the sixth time in his career from 35 starts.
RACE TWO – The second reasserted the claiming prowess of General Mubaraak and his trainer Steven Todd. For this race, Todd put up Matthew Bennett, who knows General Mubaraak well, and the trio reaped the victory with the jockey keeping his way on the inside rails. It was win number 8 for General Mubaraak from 64 starts, with earnings of over $4.3 million.
RACE THREE – Yellowstone, racing with the tongue tie off, duly obliged as the 1-5 favourite in this three-year-old maiden going 5 ½ furlongs. It was a runaway romp for trainer Al Brown and jockey Shane Ellis, with the jockey becoming only the third among his grouping to reach the heights of 1,300 winners. Interestingly, Ellis did not ride for the rest of the day, to include Calculus in the The Viceroy Trophy.
Yellowstone - Shane Ellis
RACE FOUR – Julissa P, a five-year-old bay mare, who has raced only 11 times, notched her first win over the five-straight course. Lightweight apprentice Ramon Nepare gained his first win this season while for trainer David Powell it was his third.
RACE FIVE – After being hindered on last, Taurus Boy (Omar Walker) trained by Philip Feanny gained redemption by easily winning going five furlongs straight. Taurus Boy was not with the early pacesetters but when Walker shifted to the outside, the foreigner got into his groove to win with ease. This was the first winner on the day for Feanny.
RACE SIX – Three Times Lucky (Javaniel Patterson) trained by Errol Burke brought joy to his connection with a fighting victory at seven furlongs. Three Times Lucky went to the lead from the one draw and although challenged by different rivals was resolute throughout the distance of the event to win by half a length. For Patterson, it was his eleventh visit to the winners’ enclosure, and it was the first for trainer Burke from only five starts. This was the fourth career win for Three Times Lucky, which now places her in Overnight Overnight Allowance.
RACE SEVEN – This three-year-old non-two for local bred horses, and maiden for foreigners, resulted in a long-overdue success for the US-bred filly Luksol, who entered this contest having raced six-times before. This Jason DaCosta trained filly benefitted from a superb ride from champion jockey Anthony Thomas. Luksol, with the blinkers and figure eight on, was hampered at least twice, but Thomas remained calm in the saddle, and when, surprisingly, the run on the inside rails opened, he pushed his mount through, and the pair fought on gallantly to win by a neck. Note the performance of Nomoredeals. This chestnut colt in his seven outings has been a regular on the board, and is now showing, some progress, and should be watched going forward.
Luksol - Anthony Thomas
RACE EIGHT – The 2022 edition of the The Viceroy Trophy (one mile) for the top-rated horses around, highlighted the power of weight and its effect on a race. Horse of the Year, Further and Beyond (Robert Halledeen), with 57.0 kgs, was allowing weight to all his five rivals. When the starter pressed his button, I’ve Got Magic (Paul Francis), seven kilogrammes less the Further and Beyond, and Excessive Force (Jordan Barrett), 9.5 kilogrammes below Further and Beyond went too the lead. Despite trying his best, Further and Beyond, could not match Excessive Force, who overcame his perennial issue of going wide, by staying on the rails for the entire trip, and accelerated impressively in the lane to beat stablemate I’ve Got Magic by almost six lengths. A one-two finish for trainer Philip Feanny, who was the trainer of The Viceroy, and a disciplined ride by Barrett.
RACE NINE – The wide-open three-year-old maiden event (7 ½ furlongs) turned into a romp for the Phillip Lee trained, Andre Powell-ridden KP Choice, who was facing the starter for the first time.
RACE TEN – Jockey Dick Cardenas continued his good return from injury with another winner, this time Omron for trainer Joseph Thomas in the nightcap. Cardenas returned to the saddle on April 16 and had one winner, then followed up on April 17 and 18th, with one winner on each day. Omron was winning on her first try at four-year-old and upwards non-two, which is a credit to Thomas.
