There will be a massive ten race card with two spotlight events when horse racing continues at Santa Rosa Park, Arima tomorrow, four days before the actual 20th anniversary of the centralisation of the sport in Arima.
The Royal Colours Classic, the first big race of the season for Trinidadian bred three-year-old, will be the main attraction, but the day's activities will also include the Top Of The Class Stakes.
The main bout, named after Royal Colours, the locally bred superstar of the early 1980s, will be the penultimate event and is billed to be contested over a distance of 1,350 metres. This race will offer Superfecta wagering and due to size of the field; 12 runners, punters should have a glorious chance of winning the single winner bonus, which currently stands at $114,366 and if it is not hit earlier in Races 1, 3, 5 ad 7, should be even higher in race 9.
Twelve locally bred three-year-olds have been declared for this $150,000 contest, including newcomers RUSTONIC, HIGH OCTANE and DESERT GOLD.
Spearheading the field is MARANZA, who finished runner-up in her three starts last year, including the Stud Farm Association Breeders Stakes and the Republic Mortgages St Ann's Stakes (GR.IRF).
The daughter of Maraahel turned in her maiden certificate last time out when she denied LUVDATCAT by a short-head over Saturday's trip in the FCB Stud Farm Association Trial Stakes on New Year's Day.
LUVDATCAT, who is not in this field, returned to the track two weeks ago and prevailed by 8� lengths, but the margin of victory could have easily been doubled.
The biggest dangers to the Terrace Thomas trained MARANZA are expected to be COUNTRY BOY and MAXIMUS.
After winning last year's first juvenile contest, the Futurity Stakes by 12 lengths in early October, COUNTRY BOY really struggled in his other two starts for the season.
Sharon Ferreira's inmate showed tremendous improvement with blinkers on for the first time when he tackled the older horses and finished second to the consistent ZORRO in a 1,150 metres contest for 55-40 rated horses in his season bow three weeks ago, however COUNTRY BOY has been allotted the top weight of 57 kilos, four more than MARANZA and seven more than MAXIMUS.
This son of Precise Sweep was beaten less than a length into fourth by MARANZA on debut in the Trial Stakes over Saturday's trip, but was caught late and ended up second over 1,100 and 1,200 metres in his other two starts.
The field also includes LEGACY OF HOPE, who finished less than a length behind MAXIMUS in third over 1,100 metres in his last outing and PRECISE GOLD, who is expected to improve after placing fourth in his only career start in that February 1 encounter.
ROYAL EMPIRE was very disappointing last time out on January 25, but he went down by just a length on debut in the $75,000 Trial Stakes on New Year's Day and deserves another chance.
The same could be said for MARKET RALLY, who was burning up the track at gallops but flopped as the odds-on favourite when MAXIMUS and LEGACY OF HOPE were second and third, respectively, over 1,100 metres on February 1.
Champion trainer John O'Brien will also be represented by RESURGENCE and HIGH OCTANE, who has been working well and could be dangerous right off the bat.
The Top Of The Class Stakes is the fifth event.
The most accomplished runner in the field of nine West Indian bred four-year-old and over horses is PRINCE ZESHAN, but the Jamaican bred who placed third in the NLCB Easter Guineas (GR.IR) and NGC CNG Trinidad Derby Stakes (GR.IR) and second in the Carib Brewery Midsummer Classic (GR.IR) last year, has never raced on the grass and would prefer much further than 1,100 metres.
CHASE THE DRAGON, runner-up behind Republic Bank Gold Cup (GR.I) winner HEADLINE NEWS when he made his inner track debut in the 1,800 metres Caribbean Turf Championship a month ago, would also prefer a longer trip, but the runner-up in last year's $500,000 Toyota Trinidad & Tobago Breeders Classic (GR.IRT&T) had a very quick 600 metre gallop in 34:4 seconds on the surface on Sunday and could be the one to beat anyway.
ISLAND STAR, also from the O'Brien barn, could be very dangerous six kilos lighter at 51.0KG as Anthony Wight's six-year-old attempts to score for a record tenth time on the lawn, and although she is facing much tougher rivals than ever before, ATLANTICA, a winner of her last two and four of nine overall on the turf, has to be respected.
Post time is 11.30 am.
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