An upset Junior Sammy, owner of beaten Derby favourite Touch D Road, yesterday announced he was quitting the sport and will be handing over the majority of his horses to Maniram Maharaj today.Sammy's Touch D Road, was overwhelming favourite to complete the triple crown after winning both the Midsummer Classic and the Easter Guineas. However, the colt had to settle for third place, beaten by 87/1 outsider Bears and Bulls and second favourite Galveston in Monday's feature event at Santa Rosa Park.
Speaking with the Guardian yesterday, Sammy said he did not expect his colt to win the race since he knew what was happening the day before. Without going into details, Sammy said he thought whatever was being planned the day before "would have changed by race day but it did not."Insisting he was not heartbroken at the defeat which could have earned him a bonus of $1 million, Sammy said the sport should be totally free of enticements and inducements.
He said he was very disappointed at the way his horse was ridden."I cannot continue in racing with results such as this. My horse was clearly the best horse in the race though some may have thought otherwise. But they are wrong."Sammy said his heart will always be for the horses. "It has been that way with my family but I cannot continue in this vein. Yes, I am upset but this is not good for racing," although he refused to be specific.
He said several friends have asked him not to leave the game but he has made his decision. "Maniram Maharaj, who is like a father to me, has asked me to reconsider but this is too much. Maharaj will have the majority of my horses from today (Wednesday.) Justice Wendell Kangaloo, the Arima Race Club President also asked me not to leave but I am finished with racing."The performance of 2/5 favourite Touch D Road was not what a large section of racing fans had anticipated. Touch D Road had earlier beaten Galveston by 11 lengths in the Midsummer Classic and looked a racing certainty to win the 'Triple Crown."
Had Touch D Road won, Sammy would have been the first single owner to win the Derby on two consecutive occasions, following Back on Top's victory in last year's race.All this was riding with trainer Glenn Mendez, jockey Santiago Gonzalez and Touch D Road on Monday. Instead, a different Derby history was made, as Bears And Bulls gave trainer Christopher Prime and owner Derek Chin as well as Jamaica jockey Alan Maragh, their first successes in the event.Efforts to contact trainer Mendez yesterday proved futile.
