ARIMA, Trinidad and Tobago - Hard work and ability are the keys to the success of the former pilot, but yesterday a horse named Stroke Of Luck became his ninth winner of the Trinidad Derby Stakes at Santa Rosa Park, Arima.
The victory in the Carib Brewery Limited-sponsored event pushed O’Brien ahead of the late, legendary Eric “Colt” Durant, who saddled his eight winners between 1964 and 1993 at Queen’s Park Savannah.
O’Brien stated “that is a privilege to even be mentioned in the same sentence as Durant”, a Barbadian who is considered the greatest trainer in the history of local racing.
Stroke Of Luck became the first maiden to win the Derby since the sport was centralised in Arima in 1994.
But Raroma Stable’s colt was expected to be a serious contender in the 2,000-metre contest for West Indian-bred three-year-olds after finishing second in the Guineas a month earlier.
Just Exhale had coasted home by almost five lengths in that 1,800-metre contest, but O’Brien felt that Stroke Of Luck would have preferred the longer trip and knew that he was capable of turning the tables.
The two could not be separated at the head of the field turning for home, but the favourite kept drifting under pressure in the straight and the 2/1 second fancy ended up winning the Grade I affair by about two lengths in the hands of champion jockey Brian Boodramsingh.
Although Stroke Of Luck had failed to get off the mark in his first six tries, he had been the runner-up in three of them.
Early leader Patta Patta, who had two wins and a second in her first three outings over 1,200 metres or less, is definitely not a stayer, but she showed her class again and ended up third over the country’s longest trip, after placing fourth in the Guineas.
And Soca Symphony, racing for the first time further than 1,350-metres, rounded out the top four, but is was the first defeat for the first time in her career.
Stroke Of Luck’s stable companion, who beat Patta Patta into second on debut, was going after her fifth victory.
Great Heart, facing the starter for the first time in his career, was next past the post, while Arsalan, the early favourite for the Guineas and Derby after winning the Royal Colours Classic and Chief Commander Classic early in the season, ended up a disappointing seventh of the 11 horses which completed the $75,000 race on a wet track.
O’Brien has been dominating his peers since dead-heating with Maniram Maharaj to capture his first title and deprive Durant of his seventh straight in 1997.
Two seasons later, the year he won the Derby for the first time with Groomsman, he was the champ again and this year he was secure his 16th title in the wins category in the 21 years this century.
