KINGSTON, Jamaica - Both Jamaican entries in the Caribbean Classic contested on Sunday, December 8 at Gulfstream Park in Florida, USA, Juice Man and local 2019 Triple Crown champion Supreme Soul failed to hit the board in the nine-furlong event.
Juice Man (Storm Craft – Passion), ridden by Christian Torres, was prominent throughout the race but faded in the straight while Supreme Soul (Soul Warrior – Beware Baby), ridden by Jairo Rendon, was never a winning factor in the entire event.
In the end, Juice Man finished sixth to earn two per cent of the total purse of US$300,000 for his connections while Supreme Soul ended in eighth place.
Yet, despite the eighth-place finish by his charge, trainer of Supreme Soul, Anthony Nunes, is still upbeat.
“He (Supreme Soul) broke with his head in the air and that was that for him in the race.
“We schooled him twice at the gates because he did the same thing in the Diamond Mile. He (Supreme Soul) behaved himself when we worked with him.
“But you could see on race day when they placed him into the stall that he was fidgeting and kept crouching down on his backend while…and after this, it was over for him from the first turn.
“Juice Man, who I also trained when he raced in Jamaica, ran very well and I only hope that we as Jamaicans keep striving towards winning this race in the future.
“Jamaica can win this race as we are not far off in our breeding programme,” Nunes offered in his post-race interview.
Supreme Soul goes back in US quarantine today for one week and then it is back to Jamaica on December 18. The 2019 Triple Crown winner on his return to Jamaica will have to spend one week in local quarantine.
The Classic was won by the Venezuelan-bred The Brother Slew, the longest shot on the board at 45-1.
The Brother Slew, who was ridden by Paco Lopez, clocked 1:51.76 for the nine-furlongs of the race. The Brother Slew is owned and trained by Paul Valery.
Second was Gran Omero ridden by Javier Castellano, with the third spot being occupied by Turpin Time with Jose Lezcano aboard.
Ridden for the first time by Lopez, The Brother Slew, a three-year-old colt by Slew’s Tizzy, was content to stalk leader Papa Candelo from second through the early stages of the race.
The Brother Slew moved up to challenge Papa Candelo on the far turn, as Gran Omero began making up ground while racing along the inside rail. In the stretch, The Brother Slew finally put away Papa Candelo and took a slight lead, but Gran Omero continued to close doggedly along the inside rail.
At the wire, it was The Brother Slew in front by three-quarters of a length over Gran Omero, with Turpin Time another 1 1/2-lengths further back.
Shortly after, the inquiry sign flashed, and an objection was also lodged by jockey Javier Castellano, rider of Gran Omero against the winner, for interference in the stretch. After a lengthy review, the claim of foul was disallowed and the result was allowed to stand.
The stewards in their official statement said that while there was interference that interference did not impact on the result.
